So We Flow With The Wind
by RikaMae365
Summary: She was sheltered from his past, but she secretly longed to be by his side. With the well being of her father in mind, she leaves on a quest to find him. How will she react when she finds out her father's past, and discovers that he isn't the perfect man she always believed him to be? What dark secrets lay behind her father, The Black Order, the Noah, and most importantly.. Herself
1. Chapter 1

"Father!" my cry was sweet and playful as I ran through the trees, holding Timcanpy in my small arms. As I broke through the tree line, I looked around the small town ahead of me. It was a small, British village, far away from the major city. I was raised here, of course. It was where I belonged.

My light brown hair fell over my shoulders in small, scrappy, little curls. My mittens where hanging off my light orange jacket, and the yellow skirt I wore went below my knees. I had on tan shoes that had a little button on it to make sure it stayed on tight and I wore my orange hood on my head. The sun was setting below the trees in front of me, and I sighed in delight as I rested my pale blue eyes on my little village hidden in the forest.

Timcanpy wiggled out of my embrace and flew ahead of me. I jumped up and grabbed his tail. "Hey, where do you think you're going, you big ball of silliness?" I cooed as I pulled Tim back to me. He was reluctant to be pulled backwards, but once in my arms, he cuddled into my neck lovingly. I giggled, and began to make my way back home.

"Father!" I cried again as I reached the outer part of the village. A man with slightly graying hair looked me over and smiled.

"Alicia," said the man as he patted my head, resting his rake against his little wooden fence. "What are you doing?"

"I found Timcanpy!" I smugly held out the large golem. "If Timcanpy is here, then my father must be, too! Where is he, Mr. Bottle?"

Mr. Bottle's face held a look of confusion. "Why, I haven't seen your father. If he was here, wouldn't he have sent a message of his arrival?"

I frowned in response. "But, Timcanpy is here…"

Mr. Bottle patted my head once again. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, we'll look around town. If he isn't here, we'll send a small search party to look for him. Is that okay?" I nodded my head solemnly. As he turned away, Timcanpy broke away from me again. He turned to look at me, hovering slightly over my head.

I tried to jump up and catch him, but he flew away from me. I giggled as I played chase with the golem I loved so dearly. I found myself once again at the tree line, looking onwards to the forbidden forest. It wasn't named that for any reason in particular, just to scare away small children so that mothers wouldn't have a heart attack. I followed Timcanpy without a second thought.

I used to play chase with Timcanpy ever since I was three. He never made it easy for me, but I found myself catching on to his tricks and becoming more agile as I moved. He would usually make it hard for me; weaving in and out of trees, flying up so I couldn't reach him unless I climbed on a tree, and suddenly turning around to fly in the opposite direction so that I would lose my momentum. But today, as I chased him through the forbidden forest, I realized we weren't playing chase. Timcanpy was moving in a fast, straight line. He only moved to dodge obstacles or to turn to see if I was still following. Something told me he was trying to show me something. I ran as fast as my 8 year old legs would take me. I didn't stop for a single breath. Timcanpy, realizing that I was going faster, only sped up.

My eyes became wide when I saw a break up ahead in the trees. I had never left beyond the forest before, even when father got on his knees and, seemingly playfully, begged me to join him on his travels. But I never left; I was where I belonged, where I was needed. Yet, as Timcanpy broke through the tree line, I didn't hesitate.

The first thing I noticed when I left the forest was an unmistakable gust flying over my. Something cool and fresh blew over my skin. It was refreshing after my long run, but at the same time, it scared me. Never before had I felt this strange rush of air. The small amount of sunlight that had been left had completely disappeared, and it was darker than the usual night. I looked up, trying to find Timcanpy, when a figure jumped into my vision. "Why are you standing in the middle of this windstorm? Come on inside," the voice cooed to me. I found myself unable to react to the voice. I simply let it guide me into what I believed to be an inn.

My village had a single inn, and it was nothing but a rundown shack compared to this place. There was a counter, and behind it were shelves filled with wine bottles of many different verities. There was a hallway that seemed to lead to a kitchen, and a stairway that must have lead to many rooms. I was in awe of many of the painting and decorations on the walls, but mostly at the finely carved stairway. Its delicate designs curved and swirled around, but I could not find a way to describe them. If I could, I would say it resembled that cursed gust of sudden air that whipped around me relentlessly outside. The figure that led me here took off its oversized overcoat and rested it on a hook on the wall. I turned to see a man standing there. He was wearing a uniform of black and red that seemed to be of high rank. I recognized the uniform, but I would not make note of it to the man in front of me. He turned to me and smiled. I made note of his spiky red hair, how it was held by a neat headband and the way it seemed to complement his attitude, though I had not seen it yet, I could read him like a book. He was happy, playful, and energetic, but I'm sure anyone would guess that. Something I would not forget about him was the eye patch over his right eye.

"Hello," he said, his voice making me even surer that my assumptions about him were right. "I'm Lavi. What is your name?"

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers. My father told me so," I crossed my arms in defiance.

The man chuckled. "You've already failed at that. You in fact DID speak, and you also told me something about you. So, you listen with your father?" The man mused. I felt my face warm up at his words. He bent down to my level, and I jumped back as I realized he was closer to me. "I also just helped you out of a terrible windstorm. All I ask in return is your name,"

I pouted, but I didn't argue. "Alicia," I murmured to the man. He smiled in return.

"Alicia. Does that come with a last name?" I shook my head. Even the people in the village didn't know my last name. I was simply Alicia. "Okay, well," the man named Lavi pulled out a notepad. "I was wondering if you could help me. I've interviewed just about everyone in this town, but I haven't seen you around. Are you new here?"

"Just arrived," I answered truthfully, not seeing the point of lying to the man. He nodded in response.

"Okay, where are you from?"

"A place that has never had a storm like this," I turned to my right to look out the window. I held onto the railing of the stairs as I sat down. "What is that?" I questioned as I glared at the unseen whipping and curving of an invisible substance that I could only think of as being air.

"The wind?" Lavi looked at the window. "You've never come into contact with wind? No wonder you were frozen out there," he wrote down something on his pad. "But how could you not have experienced wind?"

I shrugged. I wouldn't answer more on that. I may be 8, but I liked to consider myself as smart child. I knew better than to give away too much information.

"Okay, well…" Lavi flipped up a page. "Have you seen anyone dressed like me before?" I nodded. Lavi seemed to become excited. "Really? I- uh…" he scratched his head with his pen, and a little black creature wiggled out of his hair.

"Buzz. Buzz."

"Oh, a call from HQ?" Lavi stated more than asked as he reached for the golem. Instinctively, I jumped up and grabbed it. "Hey!"

"Wanna play chase?" I asked the small golem excitedly. After losing Tim in the storm, I did miss him terribly. It didn't respond to my words, it just gave another buzzing sound. Lavi plucked it out of my hands.

"Hey, it's not a toy!" he whined as he began walking to the back room. I followed him like a lost puppy, not really sure of what else to do. He lifted a wire from the phone, and hooked it to his golem. I stared at him and his emotionless golem… he didn't even call it by a name. 'It's not a toy!' he had said to me. I knew that. I always knew that, but the golem always _wanted_ me to play with it. I thought any golem would want a companion.

'_It's lonely,'_ I thought as I looked at Lavi's golem. '_It wants companionship, but it's not automatically programmed to know it…'_

Lavi signed and hung up the phone. If there was any communication, I missed it. "Well, that's a letdown. So, Alicia," Lavi turned to me with a smile. I ignored him and grabbed the golem again. "Hey!"

"You don't have to be afraid," I cooed to the golem. "I'll be your friend. I won't hurt you at all, I promise. You can ask my golem," I smiled sweetly at the small bat like creature. It fidgeted in my palm, as if trying to calculate the equation for what had been said.

"You're a strange… hey!" Lavi kneeled down to my level again. "You have a golem?" I blinked at Lavi. Maybe that wasn't supposed to be said aloud. But it was too late, so I nodded in return. "What does it look like? Does it look like this one?" he pointed to his golem, and I immediately began to feel worried. If he knew what Tim looked like, then would he try to take Tim away? I decided to lie. I nodded at his question. Strangely, he seemed disappointed by my answer. It was then that I realized he WAS looking for Timcanpy. I was pleased with my decision to lie.

"Well then," Lavi straightened up and cracked his neck. "Guess we should hit the hay,"

"Where will I sleep?" I asked as I tilted my head. Lavi smiled at me.

"I'll buy you a room for the night. The storm should quiet down by morning anyway," I nodded at Lavi. He patted my head. "And I promise ill get you back to your father tomorrow, okay?"

I smiled at his kindness, but I shook my head. "I don't think my father is in town,"

Lavi frowned. "Did you run away from home or something?" I laughed at his observation.

"No, sir. I was just following… a friend. I got separated from him when I felt that… wind,"

"Well, I guess I'll take you home tomorrow. If we can find it," he turned me around and pushed me forward slightly. "Now, let's go get you a room,"

My room was a comfortable size. It had a nice comfy bed, a desk at the side, and a nice little rug for a homey touch. Lavi's golem had followed me secretly, unsure of what to do. I took it my hands, petted it lightly, and then let it fly again. It seemed pleased. I took off my little tan shoes and stepped on the rug. "Oh, it's so warm," I smiled at nothing as I dug my toes into its warmth. I walked over to the desk and sat in the chair. I ran my finger along the top of the desk. No dust: it was well kept. I smiled as I looked through the empty draws, and the little golem rested itself on my head. I didn't even have a desk at home. I probably never could afford a place like this. Mr. Lavi was a nice guy.

I jumped into bed clothes that the innkeeper had provided me with, and jumped into bed when it seemed late enough. The golem nuzzled my neck and powered down, turning into a little black ball. I was about to close my eyes when there was a tap on my window. Looking over, I saw a large dark ball continuously bumping into the window, as if it couldn't understand why it wasn't flying through. I smiled as I walked to the window and opened it. Timcanpy's golden colors were seen as it flew into candle light. I grabbed the big ball from the air and closed the window. When I made to get into bed, Tim wiggled out of my grasp and flew around in circles frantically. "Tim?" I murmured to my beloved golem. Tim looked at me for a moment, then opened his toothy mouth and showed me a hologram.

'_Timcanpy, please go look for Alicia for me,' _

"Father!" I screeched just above a whisper. I leaned forward on my knees, listening more intently.

'_The wind here is too strong, and I can't break through. I think it could have something to do with innocence residing in Alicia's village. Please, Timcanpy, I know she won't leave without a reason. If she won't follow, you have to get her to-' _

A large explosion caused the image to shake. I saw father's left eye turn red and a scope appear before his eye. I gasped at the sight. "Father? What-"

'_Go, Timcanpy! Hurry! I don't want her there if there's innocence involved! I will not stand for it! She will not be put in harm's way!'_

The image disappeared as Timcanpy closed his mouth. He began flying around frantically, and I knew I had to leave. I felt bad for wasting Mr. Lavi's kindness, but I knew I had to find Father. The image of him was still fresh in my mind. His white hair was touching his shoulders slightly, the look on his face more serious than ever before, and his scar, still a deep red, around his left eye like a haunting tattoo.

He was my father, that man in the image. His name was Allen Walker, the destroyer of time, the beginning, or end, of the world. He wouldn't tell me his occupation, he wouldn't tell me about his life, all he ever told me was that he wanted me safe, out of harm's way, and forever to be his little girl. I knew I couldn't be anything less, but I always wished I could be more. So as I jumped out of the second story of the inn, into the cold, unforgiving wind that whipped around me, I set out to be his savor. I wanted the respect and gratification of leaving the place I called home for so many years, to respect his own wishes, and be by his side. Not as his helpless little daughter, but as more of a companion, who may even one day save his life.


	2. Chapter 2

**4,601 words is this chapter… to the people that randomly read, and to those who favorited and story alerted… and to you XxBishxX and Wolflover17 (lol to your comment, btw) and DGMSilverAirHead03…**

**YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HAPPY YOU MADE ME!**

**I decided to put a disclaimer. ^^**

**Disclaimer: I do not own DGM. I am not a good enough artist in any way for that… **

**But I do take credit for Alicia, and any other OC that I create, and the plot to which the story shall unfold.**

**Happy readings!**

I ran behind Timcanpy at full speed. I wasn't fully aware of my surrounding: I only saw the golem in front of me. I trusted it to lead me on, to find what I was looking for.

What was I looking for? My Father, Allen Walker. My name is Alicia Walker, and this is the first time I have ever left my little village in the forest.

Timcanpy suddenly flew up and over a fence. Without it even registering it, I jumped over it and around several more sudden obstacles in my way. I followed Timcanpy loyally, as if my life depended on it. I was a hundred percent sure that by the rate we were going, I would see my father soon.

Timcanpy came to a sudden stop and looked around frantically. I recognized the area. There was rumble left from an explosion: this is where my father made the message, and where Timcanpy last saw my father.

The wind rustled my hair, causing it to block my vision. I huffed to myself and pushed my hair deeper into my hood. "I hate this 'wind'!" I cried out in frustration. My knees were shivering together, for my skirt gave little protection to the element. I felt a tugging on my hood, and noticed Timcanpy trying to get my attention. His mouth clenched my hood and he continuously tugged on it. I let Timcanpy's tugging guide me into an alleyway that the wind seemed to ignore. I huddled in the fetal position to keep warm. "In the dead of winter, 'wind' seems like God, messing with us, as if he were bored and needed entertainment. How cruel and unusual," I was usually bitter when I was alone; it was just the way I was. Yet, when surrounded by people who treated me kindly, I was known as the most polite little girl they had ever seen. I like to thank my dad for that.

Timcanpy curled into a ball at my feet, trying to be comforting to me. Just his presence made me smile. He belonged to my father, one of his most prize possessions. I knew it from the moment I saw him that he was something unusual. He was around the size of a soccer ball, with angelic wings and a tail that seemed to have a design like fire at the end of it. There was a cross on its face, and you couldn't tell where it detected its five senses from. He used to eat the less desirable foods from under the table, he came when called, he heard you, he saw you… like a pet dog. He never seemed like a pet, though. He was family. He was like a brother to me.

I closed my eyes, wishing in vain that I was back in the cozy inn, sleeping until the dreadful wind had stopped. I began to dream about my little village, and how I never really remembered any wind. The day was always comfortable, and evenings always cool. When it rained, it gave you a dreamy feeling of wonder. I would always stand in the open doorway, staring at the rain that fell straight down. It never got the inside of the house wet, because it always fell down. Everyone would leave their windows and doors open, so they could stare dreamily at the rain that fell there. It was heavenly.

I didn't know when I fell asleep, but I remembered when I woke up. I was nearly pushed out of the alleyway by the wind. Apparently, wind could change direction on a whim. I was beginning to hate it even more. I stood up, holding myself in a vain attempt to keep warm. Timcanpy flew helplessly, upside-down, past my head. I went to grab him, but the wind wafted him away before I had the chance.

Something told me to look across the alleyway. As I turned, I saw a figure standing where I once was. It was large, and dreadfully gloomy. It's being seemed to morph with the wind that blew around it. It gave me a creepy, toothy grin. "In-no-cence," it called gaily, taking at step towards me. I made to run, but the wind whipped around me, keeping me from moving. It was as if the wind had a grip on me. It whipped around my form, making me feel light headed. My hair was flying up, trying to escape from my hood on my head. I gasped as the creature moved closer. "Where… is… the… in-no-cence…?" its head seemed to tilt to the side before spinning completely around: glaring at me once again. Its raspy voice sent a shiver down my spine. I wanted to scream, but what would that do? If this creature was controlling the 'wind', then how could anyone come to help me? I was trapped. Trapped like a rat.

As it edged its way towards me, I tried to breath_. 'Take a deep breath'_ my father's words went through my mind. _'Take a deep breath, and think before you act. That's what I do, and I always find myself in a better situation,'_

I decided to take his advice. I looked around me, taking in my surrounding carefully. I was in crossroads between two alleys. They were thin, and would be hard to maneuver in for something so large. But, with control of the wind, it could still slow me down if I managed to escape it. I looked up, trying to see Timcanpy for any sign of assistance, but nothing came. I looked at the creature in front of me; deformed, ugly, evil, I knew it to be those things. I closed my eyes as it crept closer. 'What am I to do?'

I took in the shape of the wind, how it curved around my body. It caressed me, holding me in my spot. I tried to move, and, though the caress of the wind moved with me, I did not move from my spot.

It gave me an idea.

I slowly but forcibly moved my arm out to face the creature. I felt the wind obey me, curving along my arm and flowing towards the creature. I heard a sharp growl, and the wind tightened on me, forcing my arms to my side. I glared at the creature. It would not win. I forced both my arms to face the creature. I saw the creature's figure to whip with the change of wind, but it did not blow away. It wasn't powerful enough to move it. I heard a hiss and my arms painfully twisted and shot up. I gasped as the monster appeared before me, and lowered his face to mine.

"Tricky tricky, little girl," the creature cooed to me. "But, I'm a level two Akuma, and I have the ability to control the wind patterns. You figured out how to manipulate the wind like any other human could, but you can't change the force of the wind. No one can!" it leaned back, gloating as it glared at me with red eyes. "I control all the wind from a three hundred mile radius for me! All the wind is being drawn here, making a more forceful wind, which I could use to easily crush you, puny human," I felt the wind tighten around me. He wasn't kidding. "Now," His face moved at a speed that my eyes couldn't read, and he was close to my face again. "Where is the in-no-cence?"

I had no clue what this creature was talking about. But, I did know that I hated losing. And with the information this 'Akuma' gave me, I realized that I needed to make the wind _obey __**me**_. How I would do that, I couldn't figure, but I would find out.

"Speak!" the Akuma screeched at me. I shivered with fear.

"I don't know what innocence is!" I screeched back, finding my backbone. I felt the wind around me tighten.

The Akuma's ever moving form straightened. He looked down on me with his fearsome red eyes. "Then I shall kill you…" his voice was final. His gaze was threatening. His form began morphing. My eyes began closing. I began screaming…

And then, my eyes snapped open. A glow radiated from inside my chest, and with all the strength I had in me, I began to move my limbs. My entire body was shaking as I slowly moved my body. My hair escaped my hood and flew up higher with the wind. My eyes were bloodshot. I felt my heartbeat quicken. I felt something in my chest snap, and as I let out a more powerful scream in a mixture of pain and fury, I thrust all four limbs towards the Akuma. He flew back with such power, the building he hit shattered. I fell to the ground and gripped my side. "I think… I broke… a rib…" I squealed between breaths as I held my side carefully. When a gleam of light made me squint, I looked up at the sky and saw the sun beginning to rise.

The windstorm had finally stopped.

I forced myself to my feet and walked to where the Akuma had landed. Looking at the rubble, all I saw was dust. I blinked lightly, feeling my head go blank. I forgot what I was doing, so I simply fell to the ground and took a nap…

I opened my eyes and found myself staring at a ceiling. I blinked a few times, wondering where I was and how I got there. I heard the sound of water rushing, and I turned my head to the right. I saw a young woman wringing a rag in a bowl of water. She turned to me, rag in hand, and was about to place it on my forehead, but stopped when she noticed I had awoken. "Oh," she muttered, lowering the rag and smiling at me. "Hello, there,"

"Hey," I muttered in response. I lifted myself up to take in my surrounding, only to find the girl pushing me back down.

"It's not a good idea. You broke a rib, somehow… where you playing in the old tea shop?" I blinked at the women by my side. Her long golden locks of hair rested on her shoulders, but continued to flow around her shoulder blades. Her eyes were a pretty dark blue, and they were filled with curiosity and worry. Her plump lips found themselves in a pout as she studied me, as if she thought I was a mischievous little she-devil. "I know it must have seemed like good fun to play in it at the time, but apparently it still isn't stable. You should stay away from it, 'less you want to hurt yourself again,"

"I feel fine, ma'am" I smiled warmly at the women, but she only shook her head.

"I'll hear none of that nonsense. You will get plenty of rest-"

I sat up straight without even a wince. "But, I don't feel anything,"

The women raised an eyebrow at me. She reacted over and touched my side, as if to show how my rib was broken. But as her fingers made contact with my skin, she gasped. "What happened?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I wasn't playing in the old tea shop, I just collapsed…"

The women stared at me in disbelieve. I could tell that scenarios where playing out in her head. Maybe she checked wrong, or maybe I was in a position that made it seem as if it were broken. The women shook her head. "Y-you must be hungry," the women nodded. I smiled at her. This woman knew better than to pry on something that she may have been mistaken about. She didn't want to seem like a fool. "I'll fetch you some tea and scones, would you like that?" (lol, British XP {no offense, it's just to be silly})

"Oh, yes please, if it's not a bother,"

The women let out a little giggle. "Not at all, polite little girl," she left me alone after that.

With a deep sigh, I laid back on the bed. "What a night," I mused. "If stuff like this can happen to an 8 year old, I wonder what happens with Father…" the question didn't seem like much at the time, but I knew that it meant something. Father used to pray at my bedside. He prayed that I would never be found by demons of any kind… thinking back, I think he did talk about 'Akuma' and how he wished their souls could find peace…

The room was taken into a peaceful silence. I don't think there was any wind blowing outside. It was as peaceful as my home in the village. The sun was not very high in the sky, but I knew it was close to noon. I mustn't have slept too long. I continued to glance out the window next to me. The place I was at was a small town, and I found myself on just the edge of it. There were some main roads running through its small town square, and a few braking off to pass by businesses and inns. It wasn't a large town, but it was larger than my village. The people in it seemed to be enjoying the refreshing winter air outside. There were no harsh breezes.

I began to wonder about the Akuma. It said it could control the wind on a wide radius, so the wind all around must be confused, and is trying to settle back into normal wind patterns after being controlled and manipulated for so long. The Akuma seemed to have a large power, but as I thought, I realized maybe it was suitable for it. I remembered curving the wind with just the motion of my arm. Wind was easily manipulated. But, as the Akuma said, you can't just make it more forceful out of nowhere. His wide radius of control was so that the wind could build up enough momentum that can actually be used for purposes such as restraining a human.

I looked at my arms after a moment. If one can't make a large amount of wind have more force so easily, then how could I do it? I began studying my hands. They were normal hands. They didn't have anything wrong with them, like Father's left hand and arm. I couldn't understand how I moved the wind… it just didn't seem possible.

And how did my chest heal so quickly? I wouldn't think that I would be able to move my sore body for weeks or even months. Was it even real?

It was still quiet when I heard a soft knocking. I sat myself up right and brought the blanket closer to me. I didn't have on a shirt, but the bandages around me covered everything. I still felt as if I should have grabbed my shirt, but I heard a door in the room beyond mine open, and a conversation led my mind to stray.

"Oh, it's you again. Have you found who you were looking for?"

"No, and, in fact, I'm in search for someone new. Have you seen a small girl, about eight years old? She's tiny, and has brown-"

"Sir! First you flirt with me, and now you're chasing after a poor little girl!" I giggled wildly at the statement. I could tell she was kidding, but the other voice didn't.

"No! No, no, no! I met her yesterday in the storm, and now she's missing! I want to know if she's alright! Have you seen her?"

There were some quiet murmurings in the background, and I couldn't make it out. I heard footsteps coming my way. I sat up straight and waited for the entering of the person. As the door knob began to turn, a smile was already on my face.

"Hello, Mr. Lavi,"

As Lavi stepped into the room and heard my voice, he blinked at me. "You're a little creepy," he smiled back at me. Before I could come up with a snappy comeback, his little black golem flew at me at full speed, and bumped straight into my forehead.

I cradled the little golem in the palm of my hands and rubbed it against my cheek. "Hey there, little guy! I missed you, you cuddly little bundle of golem!"

Lavi laughed at me. "The thing woke me up this morning. It wouldn't stop flying around frantically. I didn't realize anything was wrong, until I remembered it was with you last night. I ran to your room and you weren't there," he crossed his arms as he looked me over. It was then that I really wished that I put on a shirt. "Why'd you run off, anyway?"

"I… I was looking for my father… I'm sorry; I just couldn't wait until morning!" I cried as I cuddled against the golem. Lavi tilted his head, making part of his red hair react to a thing called gravity and fall slightly limp. He leaned against the wall nonchalantly.

"Why are you bandaged up?"

I gazed down at my bandages. I, again, saw no real reason to lie to him. "The lady thought I broke a rib when she found me outside of what used to be the old tea shop," I said I saw no reason to lie, but that didn't mean I had to tell him all of the truth.

Lavi smirked at me. "Being a little kid, busted up buildings seems like fun places to hang out," he raised his arms up and rested them behind his head. "I used to be that way. But hey, duty calls. Hey, do you know what happened to that building?" I felt a twig of guilt when I thought he would make me answer him, because I didn't want him to know about Timcanpy. I was silently relieved when he continued speaking. "It was shattered when the windstorm first appeared. It uprooted a tree and threw it at the building. Luckily, nobody was hurt…" Lavi looked out the window, and I followed suit. He chuckled slightly. "I wonder why the windstorm... left without a fight…"

My head snapped back to face Lavi. 'He speaks as if… as if he knew there was a monster...' my mind didn't understand how he could know. I barely believed that the monster existed because my wounds healed so fast. I was almost going to write it off as a dream…

But Lavi knew something. He knew something that I didn't know: even while I had a wonderful tutor and a brilliant home keeper, he knew something very well, that I did not- no, could not- understand at all. My anxiety would get the better of me if I didn't know. Before I could fully think it through, my lips moved on their own. "What do you do for a living, Mr. Lavi?"

I think Lavi wasn't expecting such a sudden question. He seemed to begin fidgeting under the weight of my question. He scratched the back of his head and took a few steps towards me. "You really wanna know?" I nodded as my response. Lavi gave me a fake smile. "You… you'll think I'm just a weird, grownup…"

"Mr. Lavi, my father is a big weirdo. I take him seriously, so why wouldn't I take you seriously?"

"Okay," Lavi said it as if he didn't fully believe me. He quickly kneeled down by my bed. "I'm what you'd call an exorcist. I kill demons,"

"Demons?" my eyes fumbled together.

"Yep. I devote my life to make others safe,"

"What kind of demons, Mr. Lavi?" I asked as I blinked innocently at him. He smirked at my question.

"Mostly one type of demon. Rumor has it, they are souls that have past, brought back from the dead when a loved one morns deeply for them. These demons slay their loved one, and then wears their skin are their own," Lavi's voice grew darker as he continued speaking. "Anyone can be one. I have to be careful, always on watch for them," I raised an eyebrow at him. Demons disguised as humans? That didn't fit the description of the creature I had faced last night. I felt as if I was holding my breath. Lavi chuckled suddenly. "But they're really ugly when the leave their human forms. They can be anything, with any kind of powers…"

"You're just trying to scare me now," I said it playfully, but really, he _was_ scaring me. They could be anywhere… And could there be demons worse than the one from last night? I remembered it's ever shifting form, its dark red eyes, its husky voice calling out for _In-no-cence_…

Lavi chuckled at me. "Well, there is a bright side of the story," he stood up and leaned on my bed. "I had a friend once… a former, fellow exorcist. He had the ability to see the souls… and he said, when killed with innocence, the tormented souls of the demons were lifted into heaven…"

"Innocence," I breathed at last. He did fight the Akuma. After finding this knowledge, I felt as if it were the first time I saw Lavi. His past was tormented by the images of similar creatures that I had only seen the night before. I realized that Lavi's eyes had circles underneath them, as if he hadn't slept all night. His neck had a single bead of sweat falling down, as if he had just ran a mile… was he frantically searching for me ever since he woke? I blinked at Lavi. "How do you kill it with Innocence?" I asked it in my 'little kid,' voice, trying to act as if I thought it meant the simple characteristic. Mr. Lavi smiled at me.

"We turn it into weapons,"

I looked over Lavi's appearance again, and realized something I had not before. Connected to his belt was a small hammer. Something about it made my chest ache, but I bit my lip so I wouldn't groan. The golem in my hands could tell something was off about me, and flew into my vision. I took it again and petted it lightly. It was making a quiet buzzing sound that sounded similar to purring. I smiled at it as I tried to change the subject. "You need a name," I held the golem up so that Lavi knew that my attention had shifted focus. "I shall call you… Tobimaru! That seems suitable for a golem. And I can call you Tobi for short!"

The small golem's eye turned a light pink, as if it was blushing. I giggled at first but then I gasped as I saw that little Tobi was shifting form. I lowered my hands, and his wings began to move on their own as a small white light engulfed him. As the light dimmed down, I noticed his appearance changed. His midnight black form turned into a bronze color that shined in the light. The eye on his face had morphed; it looked as if it was a heart, with a cross similar to Timcanpy's over it. Its wings turned into an almost angelic form, but the tips remained pointed on all four of its wings. Its tail was long and skinny, and curled into a spiral at the end. He was absolutely amazing.

"My… My golem evolved," Lavi gawked as he leaned closer to me. I smiled at the small golem, who had also grown a size or two, and I held out my hands for it to land. When it did, I cuddled into its new form.

"He's amazing!" I cooed. I looked up at Lavi, who watched the golem with wonder. "Hey!" I pushed him.

"What?" he snapped back with a pout obvious on his face.

"Get out so I can get dressed!" I scolded him. With the pout remaining on his face, he turned and walked away, leaving Tobimaru and I alone. I looked at the golem and smiled as I crawled out of bed. I changed back into my outfit; Yellow shirt and skirt, tan shoes, and orange jacket, and exited the room to be engulfed in the wonderful smell of food. I was strangely starving. I ate more than my body weight, I'm sure, but the Lady (whose name appears to be Leona, as Lavi addressed her as that) was happy to fill up my empty belly.

I patted my stomach when I felt full. When I asked where Mr. Lavi wandered off to, she pointed to the door. I smiled, nodded, and said my thanks as I went outside to find him. I felt Tobimaru find a comfortable spot on my head as I took in my surroundings. I saw Lavi standing in front of the broken building where I had collapsed before. As I stared at him, I realized it was also the same spot where the transmission from my father was taken. I slowly made my way closer to him.

Lavi turned his head in my direction, causing me to freeze in place. A smile appeared on his face, which gave me the courage to continue on my way. I stopped in front of him and saw him smiling down at me. I noticed now that he seemed to be in his late twenties, around eighteen years older than I was. I could've sworn before that he was just a kid. Though he was still pretty young, he still seemed to be very wise in many ways. He reached out and put his hand on my head. "Want me to take you home, squirt?"

I frowned at the nickname, but I shook my head none the least. "I'm not going home,"

Lavi frowned at me. "You really are running away from home, aren't you?"

I laughed. "No sir. I just want to find my father,"

Lavi seemed to take in the information. With a smirk and a huff, he looked to where the Akuma's dust laid in the rubble. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he knew what the dust meant. "Looks like we're both on a wild goose chase after someone,"

I tilted my head in confusion. Lavi ruffled my hair, and I felt Tobimaru wiggle out from under his hands. I caught the golem mid flight and presented it to Lavi. "Here," I stated simply. Lavi reached for Tobi, seemingly hesitant, before accepting the small golem in my hands. He began to turn away from me, but with a smirk, he tossed Tobi back at me.

"Here," he muttered to me. I caught the distraught Tobi with one hand as he flew by my head. "On second thought, I don't want him. I'm used to him in the other way anyway, I'll just get confused and frustrated with him,"

"But…" I muttered, turning the once again distraught Tobi upside-down. "He has your name carved on him…"

Lavi leaned down to speculate, but resumed his upright position with a smirk. "Does it?"

I looked on the bottom of Tobi and gasped. There, in beautiful cursive writing, it said _'Alicia'_. I was so shocked I didn't know what to say. Lavi turned, and he began to walk away. He turned slightly towards me as he walked, and with a wave he called back, "Good luck finding your father, Squirt!"

I felt a lump in my throat. I quickly swallowed it down, and with a heavy heart I called back. "Good luck to you too, Mr. Lavi!"

**I hope you guys love me… I went back and added a thousand words worth because I wanted you guys to enjoy your reading experience. ^^ Review if you like!**

**And I came up with Tobi's name at the last second. I ran out of time, and I had to update! So I hope you enjoyed it!**


	3. Chapter 3

**6,687 words today! I'm a happy camper!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own DGM. I can't draw. I can't make up my own original plot. Hinting to why I'm on Fanfiction and not trying to get a book published ^^**

**I do own Alicia, Leona, and Tobimaru! I also own the plot for this story.**

**Happy readings!**

The cards were dealt and the bets were made. They all knew how it would play out, but their stubbornness and pride kept them in the game. But when the hands were shown, the man who called himself Mr. Walker won once again.

"Damn cheat!" the man who sat across from Mr. Walker threw his cards on the table. The reaction was an obvious one, one that I had come across in the past. So many times, in fact, that I can hardly recall any memory without it.

"If you think I'm cheating, sir, why do you continue to play me?" I noticed that Allen's smirk undermined his question in a humorous way. I looked on with a pleasurable envy. I couldn't ask for a better partner in crime. I watched in the shadows of the room, wishing almost lustfully that I could join in the fray. Of course, doing so would not be in the best interest. I was only here for Mr. Walker.

"That's it! I'm out of here… Come on, Slim, let's go get drunk…"

"Sir, you already are drunk…"

"Wait!" Allen cried as he picked up something off the floor. "Don't forget your clothes," Allen smirked as he waved the fabric in front of him teasingly. "I figured I should leave you with your dignity,"

The young, almost naked man who was referred to as Slim took the clothes and bowed respectfully. He turned on his heels and left in a hurry. "Duncan! Wait, get dressed first!"

I chuckled at the scene that took place in front of me. "I take immeasurable pleasure in the trauma of others," I ran my hand through my long curly raven hair. Once the hair was away from my face, I slipped on my top hat and removed my bug eye glasses. I felt the need to look decent when in the presence of my half-brother.

Allen gave me a sinister smile from under his hooded form. I fidgeted from habit. "You're the Noah of pleasure, so I imagine you would," at his words, I realized his smile was a joke. I chuckled as I step forward, allowing myself to be seen once again. Allen chuckled. "If I didn't tell you to lay low, I would've never known you were hiding in the corner. You would've given me a heart attack,"

"I believe I only gave you a heart attack once in our many years of knowing each other. Whether you knew of my presence or not,"

Allen rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Spare me the literalness, Tyki…"

"You know, brother, I must say… after everything we've been through, I'm glad you have left me with the pleasure of being by your side," Allen slipped his hands into the pockets of his cloak. It was almost strange for me to call him Allen now. I felt it was almost like a child's name, and it didn't fit him anymore. Of course, the name was his, and it was well suited, but I found myself wanting to call him by his rank… General Walker. But Allen would have to do, for he would not allow me, a friend and family member, to call him by any other name.

"We've been through a lot, Tyki. I can't say that you are not like a brother to me, because, well, you are," Allen collected the money from the poker table. With a chuckle, he flipped through the money. "You're Akuma are rich, Tyki. Thanks for luring them in. This will last me for a while. It's always good to get their money off of them before bringing salvation to their souls,"

"It's was my pleasure. Level two Akuma always feel as if they are a free spirit, and thus take part in human sins. Quiet normal, and an easy way to help out a partner, wouldn't you agree?"

Allen huffed. "Partners in crime, that's for sure," Allen closed a briefcase and look sulkily towards a door. He had been a type of mood lately… something was off. I tried to stay out of his business; it would keep both of us safe. Just seeing Allen like this could get us both killed, for Waizurii could see in my mind. He didn't actually respect our privacy like he claimed. Thus, I could not learn anything from Allen, less he would be killed by my brothers and sisters in a heartbeat. You can only choose one side of a war. But Allen's demeanor had been prodding my curiosity lately. And it all started when the Earl ordered me to invade the next town over in search for a well hidden innocence.

"What ails you?" I rested a gloved hand on his shoulder. He quickly shrugged it away.

"It's nothing…" I was content with that answer, but when I turned away, Allen grabbed my arm. "Why did you send such a powerful Akuma to the next town?" Allen's question fueled my curiosity. That was not a good thing.

"Well," I began as I walked away from Allen's grasp. I strolled around the table so that I could take a seat across from him. "I had to take in the conditions… It was a difficult to find innocence, according to the Earl. And rumor has it that a General, much like you, was in town as well," that seemed to both put Allen at ease, and make him nervous. I casually continued. "As you know, I send in as few Akuma as I can without being too… obvious of my intentions. But, I knew sending in a lone Level two would cause suspicions to stir, so I had to choose a level two that had considerable power… I try my best not to send a level three,"

Allen sighed and took his seat across from me. He ran his fingers through his hair, causing his black hood to fall down with his fingers. It was then that you could see his scar. It was long and jagged, a dark crimson color. The star was completely filled on his forehead. His white hair seemed to almost frame his scar perfectly. He was cursed, but now he seemed to not be ashamed. He stopped being ashamed almost a decade ago. And ever since then, Allen has had some major changes. His face didn't look so childish anymore. He even looked like his age, despite the white hair. He still had that air of innocence around him, because in all truthfulness he could still act like a kid. But he seemed to mature in a way that I couldn't understand. Maybe it was because I haven't hit that type of matureness yet. I also noticed how he wasn't wearing his black order robes. I figured it was because he stuck out like a sore thumb in it, but I could tell he had his own personal issues with it. He did wear it at times, but he preferred to use an old black coat that he found in the old abandoned black order tower. Either way, he looked powerful and dignified.

"Tyki," Allen clasped his hands together and rested his elbows on the table. "I would like you to… just don't go father west than that town,"

I found myself lifting an eyebrow at his statement. It was an unusual request from him, so of course I was skeptical. "Why would you want me to do that? Allen, I know we both are going towards the same goals..." I leaned forwards on my elbows and pointed at Allen as I looked him straight in the eye. "But I can't do what you did. They'll find me if I leave. So I have no choice but to be a double agent… but I still have to meet my quota of innocence. We don't really have a quota, but I'm expected to do so much unopposed… And I can't just abandon my family, at least not this soon,"

Allen met my steady gaze with a fearsome, loathing glare. "That's what I'm-!"Allen took in a heavy breath, seeming to calm down. "I have my secrets, Tyki. You know that. I'm asking you nicely now, don't go farther west,"

"What is it with you, Allen?" I leaned back, waving my hand in a disinterested motion. "I feel like I don't know anything about you… what is your secret? What are you hiding?"

Allen smiled at me. It was a sad smile. "You know I couldn't answer that question to you, Tyki. Waizurii would find out in an instant…" Allen shook his head. "I know you're barely able to keep our plans a secret, how can I trust you with anything more than what you already know?"

"And what do I know?" I chuckled. "I know that we are partners. We work together, separate from everyone and anyone. You have left the black order, and I am a mole in the Noah clan," I leaned back and lowered my head, hiding my eyes from the light. "Barely anyone thinks you are still alive, let alone working with good intentions. They think you're dead, working for the Earl, or just… crazy," Allen nodded solemnly. Much to his dismay, I continued. "New employees of the order don't even believe you exist. They think you're just a myth. Only the people that knew you defend your… existence,"

Allen's face was scrunched up. He looked genuinely hurt. "Is that true?" he asked, his voice revealing his disbelief. I nodded in return. What Allen did next was a surprise. "Damn!" he slammed his fist on the table. "I wish they would all forget! I wish they believed I was just an allusion… it would be easier that way,"

I smiled sadly towards my brother. "Indeed, it would. But the harder it is, the stronger it makes us,"

Allen smiled a thank you towards me. I took off my hat, my form instantly changing into a human being. As I slipped on my glasses, Allen threw his briefcase over his shoulder and let it hung there. "Guess we should head out,"

"Yeah, sounds right," I stuffed my hands in my pocket. Allen gripped the doorknob, and as he pulled the door open, something hit him in the face. "Oof!" he stumbled back slightly as he caught a big mass of gold. I raised an eyebrow at the golem. I hadn't even noticed it was missing.

"Timcanpy!" Allen chuckled as he rubbed the golem's smooth head. "I was wondering when you'd get here… if you'd get here," Allen looked towards the door, his eyes brighter than they had been all day, but the happy look on his face was instantly replaced with worry. "Where's…?"

I noticed before Allen did that Timcanpy was trembling. His entire form was quivering in Allen's arms. Allen lifted the Golem to meet his eyes. "Tim… what happened?" Timcanpy opened his toothy mouth to reveal a type of hologram. I blinked at the images. They made no sense to me. I saw a young girl sleeping in an alleyway, keeping away from the unusually strong winds. Allen's horrified reaction seemed normal to me. He was always looking out for others, reaching out to make sure they were always cared for. He had especially been prone to be protective of young children.

As the image continued, we saw that the girl was thrust into the air and pushed farther down the alley. I saw how the little girl, with terror filling her pale blue eyes, reached out in vain to catch Timcanpy as he helplessly flew away.

I didn't get to react. Allen was gone, and so was Timcanpy. I blinked at the empty room in front of me. As I reached down to pick up Allen's forgotten briefcase full of money, a foot rested itself firmly on it. I looked up with curious eyes and smiled mischievously at what I saw.

"Why, hello, Lord Millennium. And how may I serve you this fine evening?"

/O\

"Do you like it?" Leona squealed as she stepped back to admire her handiwork. I looked at the mirror on her wall, turning to look around my body. I was wearing black, thick fabric pants. My shirt was a dark gold tank top, and on top of that I had on a simple black coat that went past my knees. I smiled at the small yellow bows in my hair, making my tom-boyish look more girly. I nodded at my reflection.

"I'm not one for style, but I like it a lot. I can't believe you made this in one day!"

"Well," Leona came closer to me and straightened my coat. "I mostly made your coat. The rest of it was mine from when I was little. I always wanted to give it to my daughter…" her voice trailed off as she moved a brown bang away from my face. I could tell what she was thinking. She couldn't get a husband, so how could she have a daughter? I wrapped my arms around her form and held her as if she were the child at that moment.

"Thank you, Leona. Thank you so very much. I'm sure you will have a beautiful daughter one day,"

"Thank you, Alicia," Leona smiled down to me. "You still set on finding your father all alone?"

I pulled away and grabbed my bag from off the floor. "I won't be alone; I'll have Tobi with me. But yes, I do plan to go after my father…" I awaited her to ask the question I knew she would ask. When it didn't come instantly, I held out my hand and Tobi wiggled out of my coat sleeve. He flew around my head for a while before settling in the hood of my coat as if it were his own little bed. That was when Leona finally asked.

"Where will you go?"

I smiled at Leona. "The opposite direction of Mr. Lavi. I know he was a good man, but I feel as if running into him again would just lead me into trouble," I knew that what I said had to be true. He was looking for Timcanpy, which could also mean he was looking for my father. My father had the same uniform in his suitcase all the time; so they had to be connected in some way. And if that uniform was what showed Lavi to be an exorcist…

Then maybe my father was one as well.

I giggled lightly, trying to hide my emotions. "Besides, I kind of think he went in the direction I came,"

"Well, are you going to send word to the people who cared for you?"

I smiled at her question. I pulled out an envelope from my bag and revealed it to Leona. "Do you think this will work?"

Leona took the paper from my hand and scanned it over with her eyes. A smiled formed on her plump lips. "I think they will be very pleased to hear from you. There's a boy down the street that will do anything for a bit of money, I'll give it to him so that he can return it to your village in the forest," I smiled my thanks to Leona. I had barely known her for a day and already she was extremely helpful and caring. I almost wished I could stay with her, so that I may be the beautiful daughter that she had dreamed about, but I knew that I had to go. I had to be on my way as soon as I could. I needed to find my father and Timcanpy; I needed to know they were safe.

I finished packing my bag, filling it with my old clothes, shoes, a notepad, a hairbrush, a pencil, and a snack for the road. I sat on the ground by the door as I put on Leona's old hiking boots from when she was little. They fit perfectly. As I stood up, Leona walked over to me with something in her palm. "Here," she cooed as she opened her hand. "Take this money. It's not much, but it can at least buy you a small meal here and there,"

I shook my head and pushed her hand away. "I can't take the money that you worked hard for, Leona. I couldn't sleep at night,"

Leona smiled weakly at me. She rubbed her watery eyes with the back of her hands. "You're an unbelievable little girl, Alicia. So sweet and polite… take the money. I have no use for it. I'm on paid vacation until the tea shop is reopened. Take the money so that _**I**_ can rest easy at night, and so that I may always remember that I helped you on your journey,"

I felt that if I rejected the money again, I would hurt her deeply. I didn't want to intrude on her. I guess it was something I picked up from my father. I took the money from her shaking hands, and hugged her one last time before I left her home. I knew that she was crying; I could hear her from the window. But I knew as I walked on that she would be okay. I knew that she was safe because I knew that there were no monsters in the town that could hurt her. I knew she would be fine, because I knew that by seeing me, she became stronger and surer of herself. I gave that to her with my words.

I lifted my hood to cover my head, something I had always saw my father do when he left the village, and began walking forward. It was night again, and a small piece of wind crept around my body to lift my hair off my shoulders. I shivered, but I didn't feel the fear of the wind that I had before. Tobimaru wiggled out from under my hood to look down at me. I smiled up towards him. "I don't suspect you could help me find my way…"

Tobi flew from my hood and began flying ahead of me. He turned around and suddenly a flash of light appeared before my face. I was blinded at first, and I shielded my eyes from the fierce light. I saw that Tobi was shining a light from the symbol on his face. I smiled. "You're brilliant! Lead the way to the next closest town in"-I looked at the building, and then to the right. "That direction!"

Tobimaru turned and flew away at full speed. I ran as fast as my legs could take me, following both Tobi and the light that he shined before him. I dodged the rapidly passing trees and large mounds of rock that were scattered around in the forest. I knew that night travel would be hard, but I didn't realize it would be as frightening as it was at full speed. I watched my steps carefully, while at the same time kept my eyes solely on Tobi and his light. It was as if my mind did all of the processing for me, and all I had to do was move my legs according to its demands. I followed the commands loyally.

But even my mind couldn't process how to dodge a wall of trees so thick that you couldn't see through them. My feet skidded to a stop and I looked up at the massive tree wall. I noticed Tobi flying higher and higher, until I noticed him shining his light at an opening in the trees around twenty feet high. With a mischievous smirk, I grabbed the limb of the nearest tree and began pulling myself upwards. Once I became stable, I began almost carelessly hopping from branch to branch, until I finally found myself at the opening where Tobi was pointing his light. I crawled across my branch carefully. I reached over, trying to see if I could move a few leaves out of the way so I could see past, when I lost my balance and slid over the side. I quickly grabbed onto the branch, keeping myself from a fatal injury or worse, sudden death. With an exasperated gasp, I pulled myself back onto the branch and sat still for a moment as I caught my breath.

"I need… to be… more… careful. As father said, 'a well placed foot leads to a more steady path,'" quoting my father at this moment brought calmness to me. I could see him walking towards me, calm and collected, and then kneeling to my level to give me a proper hug. I could see him leading me, with his hand behind my head, back to the small hut that I called home. There, I would see Mr. Bottle's son collecting his books and running up to us, excited to tell my father what he had been teaching me while he was gone. Mrs. Nancy, the women who looked after me and my father's house while he was gone, would make as if she were busy cleaning, even though she would usually drink some cold tea on the porch with me around that time of day…

Lost in my daydreams, Tobi's continuous bumping into my forehead made my eyes snap open. I smiled at the golem, and carefully crawled across the tree's limb and found myself on the other side of the massive tree wall. I threw my legs over the side of the tree branch I was currently on, and allowed myself to slip off. When I landed on the ground, I landed gracefully on my feet. I blinked. I should have at least felt a jolt as I hit the ground, but I had seemed to slow as I fell… I shook my head to clear my thoughts and I turned towards my destination with a strong feeling of accomplishment that there were no problems as of yet.

Tobi finally drifted just above my head, and I made a motion to Tobi that made him turn off his light. I looked onwards and smiled when I saw small fire lights burning in the distance. We were almost to the next town. I smiled at Tobi before I continued running along the dark path.

I found that I couldn't really call it a town. To me, it was more like a city. Almost every building was two or three stories high. There were many lamp posts lining the major roads, flickering cheerfully in the night air, while some roads did look gloomy and abandoned. Horse carriages and trailers were still roaming the roads, and vendors where barely even making a move, let alone packing up for the night.

It was generally big and busy all around. I felt as if I would never find anything I was looking for here. Tobi was hovering by my head, but I soon plucked him from the air. "I don't want to stick out," I whispered anxiously at my little golem. "Just… hide for a while, okay?" as I said it, Tobi wiggled his way into my hood, and I smiled. As I looked back at the busy road, I took a deep breath, and walked forwards.

As I walked along the roads of the town, I realized that trying to see everything at once wasn't going to happen. I lowered my head, letting my hood hide my eyes from anyone who saw me, and let my ears go to work. As I focused on my hearing, I moved forwards still. I needed to take in a lot of information if I was to find clues about my father's whereabouts.

"That awful draft is finally gone,"

"Why yes. I noticed. Disappeared around this morning, I think,"

"Do you think we could stay in town for a little longer?"

"Do you think we will get rain this week?"

"I wonder if the moon will just disappear one day…"

"Mummy, mummy, I want it!"

"Did you hear about Brutus? Poor man. Got the chicken pocks at the age of 31!"

"Yes, two cubes of sugar, please,"

"Iz think… Iz think him cheted… no wah he hadda full house…"

"You're drunk, sir. I don't think you would've won, whether he cheated or not…"

I sighed as I found myself in the middle of town with no straight leads. One would think that a man with an odd scare, white hair, and peculiar uniform would attract more attention and gossip. But then again, I was a three foot midget of an eight-year-old, walking down the street looking ominous in a black cloak…

"Iz tellz ya, ta man wih ta tattoo cheted!" I turned my head slightly, finally catching a glimpse of the drunken man and his small friend. The man who had obviously been drinking was wide around his belly. His shirt was half unbuttoned, showing a forest of chest hair under his shirt. His little friend was pretty small, being about a foot taller than me, though. He was scrawny, and he was buttoning up his shirt as he walked.

"I believe you. How did he beat my Royal Flush in the second round…? But at least he was nice enough to give us back our clothes. Strange how we didn't notice who he was…"

Images of my father greedily taking up offers from around the village to play a 'fair game' of Poker appeared in my. Father never lost: not once. But, if he thought it didn't seem fair, he would give the stuff he won back to others. It had to be him. "Excuse me," I muttered as I stepped in their way. The small man raised an eyebrow while the big man tilted his whole head dramatically.

"Well, looka what we gotz here. It's alil gil! Ello, small, lil gil!"

I held back my infuriating longing to strangle the man for calling me small. I felt a vein pop, but was glad that my coat's hood blocked it from view. "You said you saw someone with a tattoo… can you tell me what it looked like?"

"Oh," the small man finished buttoning up his shirt. "His tattoo was on his eyes. It was kind of like a jagged line. I also thought I saw something on his forehead, as well… but it could have been my imagination…"

"Where did you see him?" I kept my voice even and cool. I didn't want them to think that I was in a panicked state. Also, I didn't want to seem like I was in a hurry to see him, even though it was completely obvious that I was. I _needed_ to see my father.

"Ya won't like tat guy," the big man leaned forward, whispering to me. "Ya see, he can _stare… __**straight into your soul**_," my eyes grew wide as the man gave me a wide grin. His grin quickly grew larger, cracking his face in the process. "Are you looking for the general like we are, little girl?" his drunken, slurred voice was replaced by a high pitched screeching yell. My eyes were large orbs as the man's skin exploded before my eyes. A rush of wind threw my hood back and my hair straight into the sky. I wanted to scream at the sight before me.

The body seemed human like. It looked as if he were a mummified corpse. Its skin looked dry and burned, wrapped in black leather scraps that unraveled and revealed its grotesque skin. It loomed over my, looking to be about seven feet tall, and that was besides the fact that it was hovering above me. The lights behind him made him look like a towering shadow to me. I felt myself shaking in my boots when, behind him, unfolded black leathery wings that blocked out all the light from behind it. His eyes started to grow a dark red as he glared down at me. "I can sense… the Innocence in you…"

Confusion and horror vibrated my entire being. Without a second thought, I turned and ran. What was I thinking? I'm eight years old, for crying out loud! How could I think I could possibly go against these monsters to find my beloved father? I had a strong will, but I knew my limits. I couldn't possibly defend myself against this Akuma.

I made to turn a corner, when something I bumped into something hard. I stumbled back and looked at what had blocked my way. In front of me was something that looked like the mythological creature called a werewolf. The only difference being that its face looked more feline than canine. It gave a forceful hiss towards me, causing me to whip around, changing the direction I was going. It didn't slow down my pace, for I was still running for my life.

The people around me ran in panic, which let me know that I was in fact being pursued. As I turned around another corner, I caught a glimpse of what was chasing me, and I felt my face go pale. They were following me, easily keeping up with my speed. The first one was flying, while the other pounced through the streets at full speed. I had to quicken my pace if I wanted to get away. I felt my stomach sank as soon as I saw what lay before me…

I was running towards the ocean. Only a couple of meters away, there was a cliff that fell straight into the sea. I could already hear the crashing of the waves as they hit the edge of the cliff and tumbled over the jagged rocks that must have awaited me below. As I reached the cliff, I turned to face my pursuers. They were still charging at me. I felt trapped. I felt the déjà vu from before… I was in another helpless situation, and this time, I couldn't even think of a plan. So, I decided to improvise.

"Wait! Why are you chasing me?" I cried in vein, knowing well that they would not hear my pleading or begging, for they were Akuma: they were made to kill without question. But they did stop in front of me, glaring straight into my wide orbs. I should have known they would taunt me in my final hour. I sucked in my breath, deciding to reply to their words with a strong will.

My mind clicked after a moment. I decided, once they attacked, I would fight with my life. And before they could have the chance to kill me, I wouldn't give them the pleasure. I would jump. I felt as if it was right, like it would make my early death meaningful. I waited for their mocking. They responded with a chuckling fit.

"You're looking for the general, sweet child," the werecat purred in a sadistic way.

"Yes," the mummy's screeching voice reached my ears painfully. "We've been searching for a friend of his, just so we could attack them,"

At first their words confused me. Who was the 'general'? And why would they want to attack someone the general knew? I opened my mouth to speak when the realization washed over me. They were sneaky, evil creatures. They couldn't find who they were looking for, so they hid in human form and talked loudly about the person, hoping someone would speak up about it. Their plan was to attack someone that he might know, someone he cared about, in order to drag him out into the open. I glared all around me. Akuma must be lurking the streets, silently waiting for the appearance of this 'general', for an ambush attack. And I was the bait. I was the thing that would lead him out, because of course, if it's someone they know, they would go out of their way to save them. Especially a small child.

They crept closer to me, but I held my ground. The mummy chuckled. "Oh, what's this, a change of heart? Are you standing your ground? What a stubborn child," I glared at the Akuma in front of me. I did not appreciate being tricked into their little scheme, but most of all, I did not like how I fell so easily into their trap. I was mad at myself. But, I knew that I was human, that I make mistakes. So, as I focused on the Akuma in front of me, I pushed all of my concentration on just how the hell I would wipe the ground with his blood. He was going to die by my hands. I took a step, never guessing what would happen next.

Before I could even blink, the werecat found itself face to face with me, and had already sunken its sharp teeth into my shoulder. I stumbled backwards, and I felt myself tip over the edge of the cliff. And then, there I was, falling head first into the freezing water below me. It felt like an eternity of falling.

The images of my father were in my mind. His sweet smile, the way he cradled me in his arms, his loving heart always reaching out for others… I felt like I failed him. He only wanted me safe. Just wanted my safety… I couldn't even find Timcanpy before my death. I was a failure, and I deserved to die early. I saw my body growing black, and I couldn't figure why. Pentacles where spreading across my hands until they were fully black. Was it poison? Would I die before I hit the water? I smiled lightly. _'Maybe it won't be painful…'_ I thought as I slowly closed my eyes, awaiting death to come over me.

But then I heard a voice_. 'Don't ever give up, Alicia. I raised you better than that. If you fall out of the tree, you can always climb back up. Never stop moving forward. __**Always move forward. **__Never linger on the past.'_

I felt tears form in my eyes, and they fly up as I fell rapidly towards the water. "I don't want to give up, Father! I don't!"

A glow radiated from my chest, and I felt a cleansing feeling wash over me as my hands returned to their normal pale color. More tears left my eyes and a smile appeared on my face. I lifted my upper body up so that I could look at myself, and realized the wind stopped rushing around me. I looked around me, and felt the cool mist from the water tickle my face. I was about a yard above the water, floating in mid air. I gasped as I could almost _see_ the wind that caressed my body, keeping my in the air. I noticed then that the glow that was radiating from my chest was lingering. I moved my legs below me, and with the shift of the wind and the weight of my body, I was completely and utterly shocked to find that I was standing on air as if it were solid ground.

I stepped forward, finding that the wind held me up wherever I went. I felt a mischievous smile appear on my face. I bent my knees and jumped, finding that I could jump farther and higher than I could before. Gravity still affected me, pulling me down after I reached my highpoint, but if I let myself fall a little, and then jumped on my wind 'ground', I could jump just as far again. I was practically flying.

And I flew to the top of the cliff at full speed. When my feet found actual solid ground again, I saw the light in my chest dim. I saw that the Akuma were only just barely leaving, so I kicked a nearby rock at them. "Hey!" I called as the rock hit the head of the mummy-like Akuma, bouncing off from him and hitting the werecat. They whipped around to face me in both anger and bewilderment. I kicked up a rock as if it we a small ball and caught it. I began continuously tossing the ball up and catching it in my hand nonchalantly. "You guys think you're through with me? Think again," with a smirk on my face, I took the deepest breath I could possibly muster, and pulled back my arm. I threw my arm forward as I left out my heavy breath. The rock's speed increased with my breath, and I laughed with glee as it pierced a hole in the wing of the larger Akuma.

The Akuma let out a hiss of pain. "You little abomination!" the Akuma charged at me, but with a smile on my face, I took a step back, and fell off the cliff again. The Akuma sailed straight over my head, and I jumped back up and then further into the sky. I leaned my weight on one leg as I stood three meters in the air above the town's normal level. The Akuma turned around and gasped at me. "What are you?"

I wasn't in control of my mouth. My mouth moved on its own, but I knew in my heart that the words I was about to speak were true.

"An Exorcist," with my super jump mixed with the speed of my early training, I was above the Akuma in a second. I spread out my limbs as I fell towards the Akuma. I saw the Akuma's fist glow black, as if it were about to shot a sort of magic at me. Right before he could make contact with me, I used all my force as I thrust all four of my limbs towards him.

I wasn't completely sure what happened next. I felt as if I was floating, and I couldn't feel the wind surrounding me anymore. How could I be floating? All I could see was the night sky. It seemed larger, and so did the moon at that point. I felt myself falling, but only slightly, because I could not feel the wind drifting past the curves of my body as I fell. But soon I felt it speeding up. I saw clouds start to appear before me, rushing past as I turned my body to face what I considered to be down. I noticed the ground below me, growing closer and closer with each passing second. Realization swept over me, and I pushed my arms in front of me to break the fall. But I didn't touch the ground. The wind followed my arms and slowed down my speed until I was resting still, a foot above the ground, in mid air. I allowed my feet to touch the ground, and as gravity took over me, my body seemed to automatically swing up with the contact. I was back by the cliff, standing straight up, without a single scratch on me. I looked to my right, and noticed that the werecat was retreating.

"I.. I think I won,"

"You sure did," my eyes grew wide at the sound of another human voice. I slowly turned myself to face the cliff, and I couldn't believe my pale blue eyes.

I saw a man in a long black cloak standing at the edge of the cliff. At first, I was about to scream out to my father, but then I took a second look. He was indeed wearing an exorcist uniform, but he was nothing like my father. His spiky brown hair seemed to defy gravity, and he had a large bandana covering his forehead. As I looked towards the man, I could've sworn that there was someone standing behind him. I thought so, because the wind that moved behind him twisted and turned as if a man with a similar structure was standing behind him.

I blinked, and I couldn't see the wind anymore. I noticed that I was lacking the very bright green light that was resonating from my chest. I felt woozy at that moment. Tobi wiggled out of my hood in time for me to see him block the man from my vision. After that, everything was black.

**So… I was going to Make Allen and Alicia finally 'meet' in this chapter but decided against it. So, I added the first section at the beginning so that I could start poking at the plot more. I wanted to introduce Allen soooooooo badly, so I did ^^**

**And this is a week late… I'm sorry. I planned to update every Tuesday, but I think I'll have to change it to every other Tuesday.**

**And tell me if you want more Allen! (I'm sure you all do^^)**

**Peace and Reviews! **


	4. Chapter 4

**5,228! … ya, not as much as the last, but give me some credit. I like this chapter like this. ^^ **

**And I'm so excited to update! I can't wait for input!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own DGM (no matter how much I would like to…)**

**I do own Alicia, Tobi, Leona, and the people who live in my 'village in the forbidden forest'… just saying ^^. **

**Happy readings!**

_Sunlight radiated on my pale face as morning broke. The warmth that washed over me made me feel refreshed. It was the start of a new day. I sat up in my small bed, stretching my arms over my head lazily. "Mrs. Nancy, do you think I could have a glass of milk?" I called towards the closed the door. When there was no answer, I dropped my arms to the side with a huff. I pulled off my blankets. "Okay, I'm sorry, I know… I'm not a little girl anymore, I can get my-"_

"_Hey!" a pillow slammed into my face, forcing me back onto my bed. "I'd never let you grow up, you know that! You will __**always**__ be a little girl! Now, get in bed and let me bring your milk to you!"_

_I quickly pushed the pillow away from me and stared wide eyed at the voice crying out to me. I felt tears stain my face as I jumped out of bed. "Father!" my arms were wrapped around him tighter than ever before. I was so sure he would disappear from my grasps. Father chuckled and ruffled my already horrible bed head._

"_What's wrong, Ally? You act like you haven't seen me in… forever?"_

"_You've…" I stopped sobbing into his grey vest. As I leaned back to see his face, I giggled. He must have gotten here the night before, or he would still be wearing his strange black coat. He had a bit of stubble on his chin, which was to be expected. He was a terrible shaver. "I… I forgot what I was going to say…"_

_Father chuckled as he swept his arm behind my knees and picked me up with one arm. I was surprised he could still do that to me. "Have some milk, Ally girl," I took the milk and drank it in greedy gulps. "Why can't you call me 'Daddy'?" Father pouted and gave me his best attempt at puppy dog eyes, which was really, really good. I took one more gulp of milk before I smiled at him. _

"_Because, I give more respect to you if I call you Father," Father chuckled at my words. He turned with me in his arms and walked out of my comfortable little room. _

_He took me into the kitchen, where I saw that Mrs. Nancy was packing many pancakes and other desirable food onto plates for Father. He made a sort of 'oooOOOooo~' sound in response to the great meal. I let father put me down, and I made my way to my normal spot at the table. As I sat down, I bowed my head with father and Mrs. Nancy. Father then said grace. "Heavenly father, thank you. Not only for this amazing food, but for this house, Mrs. Nancy, the Bottle family, this entire village, and most of all, my little angel sent from above, Alicia. She will forever be the little miracle that set my entire life onto a straight path. But also, thanks for the food! Amen!"_

"_Amen to Mrs. Nancy's cooking!" I cooed as I mimicked my father and shoved an entire pancake into my tiny mouth. Mrs. Nancy giggled as she hit her wash cloth against the back of my father's head._

"_You've gotten better at being formal with your prayer, but," she began to pat my head. "You're still a horrible role model when it comes to food etiquette,"_

_Father chuckled. "I think she's got eating down like a pro!" he blurted with food in his mouth, actually spitting some in my direction. Mrs. Nancy shook her head in disapproval, but when she heard my little laugh, she could only smile. It was then that there was a knock on the door. _

"_Mrs. Nancy, Alicia, I'm here for morning studies… oh! Mr. Allen!"_

_Father lifted his head from his food with the most adorable clueless look on his face. He blinked twice at the boy in the doorway before swallowing his food and waving his hands in front of his face with embarrassment. "Oh no, please, Jason, just call me Allen!"_

_The boy closed the door behind him with a large smile on his face. "I didn't know you were here, Mr…. um, Allen. It's nice to see you home! I promise you, Alicia has learned everything we've discussed, and more!"_

_Father began to scratch the back of his head with a look of embarrassment on his face. "Well, thank you! I'm glad you take the time to tutor Alicia…" he blushed at his own explanation. _

_That was my father, as shy, sweet, and polite as ever._

_But I frowned at the conversation before me. I was never going to leave the village anyway, why should I have to do this? "I don't wanna learn, father," I whined as I stuck my fork in a pancake. "I'm just gonna get married and have lots of kids, so why do I need to learn to read and write…? and math! I absolutely hate numbers! I'll just raise babies and feed Jason's father's cows…"_

_Before Mrs. Nancy could scold me, Father laughed. "What happened to your cute perfect speech? You're the most adorable when you use you're manners and whatnot. You certainly are silly, Ally girl. We both know that you won't be stuck in to raise babies your whole life, you were meant for so much more! But, my stubborn little girl, tell me, if you really want to stay here your whole life… how many cows does Mr. Bottle have?"_

_I blinked at my father. "Um… 16? Yes sir, I think in total, if you count the neighbors because we all share a barn, its 16,"_

"_Okay," father leaned back in his chair. "If all the cows got into couples, and each couple had one calf, how many cows would there be?"_

"_16 plus… no… 16 divided by 2 is 8. And 16 plus 8 is… 17… 18… 19… 20… 21… 22… 23… 24…" I looked up from my fingers "24?" I blinked at father, who smiled more sweetly at me as he nodded. "24 cows! That would mean we could have extra for food, and we could sell some-"_

_Father stuck up his finger to interrupt me. "And that's why we need math, to solve simple problems. Now, you realize that if you had extra cows, you could do more…" _

_I gasped at his logic, though I couldn't fully understand; being a child, I blurted how I felt. "I love cows! Let's go tell Jason's father so we can have more!" I jumped out of my seat, but father chuckled and gently reached for my arm._

"_Are you going out in your nightgown?" _

_I gasped and ran off to my room, leaving everyone to laugh on behind me. I quickly got dressed and went outside, where Jason had distracted me with a book on the crusades. Yes, I hated math with a passion, but I could stand history. Then, he switched his focus to a grammar mistake in the book, to where we argued whether or not the word was who or whom. We began to wrestle about it in the yard; to which I was winning, of course. Boys are not allowed to hit girls, it's not proper behavior: Not that fighting was proper anyway. _

_When I started tickling him, he begged for mercy, and I blushed and jumped off of him. He really was a handsome boy. He had his long dark brown hair in a high pony tail, but in the pony tail his hair reached the bottom of his neck, and his eyes where the prettiest Green. He sat up next to me and wrapped an arm around me. "What's wrong, Alla?" I blushed at his personal nick name for me. I plucked a blade of grass from the ground._

"_Your eyes are pretty today," I said just above a whisper as I nearly destroyed the grass in front of me. Jason raised an eyebrow at me, and I blushed again. I leaned against his side. "They are always pretty…"_

_Jason chuckled at me, causing me to pout in return. His pressed his lips to the top of my head. "I like you too, Alla. Don't be afraid to say that. Well except, of course, in front of your father," He grinned down at my blushing face. "He doesn't need to know until you're about 13. He would probably kill me otherwise," _

_My face was red hot. I didn't know he had the same feelings I did. And from his words I could tell he actually thought about it! But why did he have to make me blush? I decided to return the favor and tickle him again. He almost died laughing. _

_Mrs. Nancy halted my childish fighting with the 15 year old boy, and asked us to wash our hands in a pale of water before coming inside for a snack. As I looked to the sky, I noticed the sun was already setting. I laughed as I skipped to the pale of water. _

_At that point, I was fully aware that the image I was seeing was part of my imagination. I felt my view drift off from my body, to where I was watching myself, or what I believed I looked like when I imagined myself. I could tell it was a dream. It was what I always wanted. It was also a memory. That was the greatest day of my life, and I wished that it would never stop. I wanted everyday to be as wonderful as that day. It was the first time I realized that I had the ability to make my own choice, and the first time I thought I should maybe leave the village and travel with Father. Of course, I was in denial. I didn't want to leave because I was so used to my surroundings, and because I had finally realized that Jason was fond of me, too. I knew one day I would leave, but I couldn't grasp it. Ever since that day, if I had the pleasure of remembering my dreams, it was this one I would remember. Not just because it was a fond day for me, but also… _

_It was the last time I saw my father in town. About ten months ago..._

_As I dunked my hands into the cool liquid in the pale of water, something felt off. I felt that everything had shifted, or was shifting, but the feeling left as quick as it came, so I just figured that I almost woke up. I looked into the water; I could see my reflection prominently. Yet, what I saw astonished me. I didn't want to move. It wasn't my reflection that startled me; it was what was behind me._

"_**Hello there, my sweet daughter,"**__ I heard my father's voice behind me just as I saw his reflection. But I knew something was off about it. As I turned I never thought what I saw could've have been real._

_It was my father in all forms of speaking. His white hair, his pale complexion -basically, me in a more masculine, older way- but it was not my father. The man was wearing a light tan/yellow overcoat and a top hat on his head, which sported many fun and colorful accessories. In his left hand, he grasped a pink umbrella that had a handle with the shape of a pumpkin, while his right hand reached up to grip the bridge of his hat. _

_And he looked much younger than before. The small and barely noticeable soul patch that was forming under his lip was gone. In fact, all of his facial hair seemed to have dissipated. He was shorter, and his scar seemed to be newer, fresher, as if he had just got it. It was a strange sensation to see him that way. He almost looked around Jason's age, if not younger. He smirked at me, and tilted his head to the side playfully. __**"What's wrong, my dear? Why do you seem as if you have just seen a ghost? Come, my daughter, let us go inside and eat,"**_

_Though he looked like my father, my instincts got the better of me. This never happened in my dream before "You're not my father!" I screamed at the figure in front of me. Without thinking, I began to run. I didn't care where I was going; I just needed to get away. As I turned to run behind the house, I ran straight into Jason's arms. "Jason, something's wrong! I-" I was then was engulfed in his strong arms. As I screamed and kicked, begging him to run away with me, he walked slowly back from where I came. "Jason! No! That's not my father! Please! If you care for me, listen-!"_

_But Jason didn't hear my screams. I noticed his stiff movements, his dark skin, the pentacle on his forehead… and his black eyes. I felt the tears fall down my face like a crashing waterfall. He was not my Jason anymore._

_As I rested my eyes back on my father, I saw that his form changed. His skin turned a dark charcoal color and his eyes creamy amber. There was a peculiar scar running across his forehead that didn't seem real to me. He had both of his hands on his umbrella, and he was pouting at me. __**"My dear daughter, why did you run away from your Papa? You know that I care the most about you…"**_

"_But, I-"_

"_**In fact,"**__ the man who claimed to be my father leaned forwards and poked my nose. __**"I'm the only one who will ever love you…"**_

_I felt Jason's arm squeeze my form, and I felt my body snap…_

_/O\_

I jolted out of sleep with a scream. A hand quickly came around and slapped my mouth shut. I heard a relieved sigh behind me. "Its okay, it's okay. I'm sorry, it seemed like you had a wonderful dream before…"

I turned completely around in my bed and found myself face to face with a teenage male. Instinctively (and because Father always told me to be wary of boys) I went to punch for the throat as I screamed. "Eww! Pervert! Pedophile! Insane-"

The boy slapped his hand over my mouth again, but this time with more force. I saw a vein pop on his cheek as he gritted his teeth. "Listen here, if it weren't for me, you'd be sleeping with dogs out in the alleys! The least you can do is not accuse me of being a pervert! I'm gonna let go of your mouth now, so don't scream, you got it?"

When his hand left my mouth, I didn't scream. With that, the boy took in a deep breath and leaned against the wall behind me. I blinked a few times, and then began to feel nosy. "Are you the man from last night?"

The boy smirked at me. "Who wants to know?"

"My name is Alicia,"

"Alicia what?"

"Alicia not-going-to-answer-you-because-your-creepy…"

"That's a long last name,"

"It seems so," I smiled at the boy. He huffed before he made his way across the room to sit on his own bed. It made me feel uneasy to think that he slept in the same room as me. It also freaked me out that his attire looked almost like Mr. Lavi's.

So, he's an exorcist.

"Hey, girl. You can call me Timothy. Just Timothy, I don't really like pet names," the boy snapped me out of my not-so-deep thoughts. "Oh and uh… I'm sorry I ruined your dream,"

I sat up straight and stared at him. "You… you didn't ruin my dream, Mr. Timothy,"

Timothy smirked at me. "Yes I did. I found out recently that… hey, you know that I'm an exorcist, right?" I was completely shocked at that question. Did he have a full on conversation with Mr. Lavi before? How could he guess that a little eight year old could know…? I nodded my head as my answer. He continued to explain. "Well, I have a special type of innocence, and I just found out I can inter the dreams of the ones who sleep around me… it's still a new technique, and though I've gotten better, I'm still new. When I enter someone's dreams, my own thoughts and emotions can enter the dream and take a manifested form, if that makes sense. I'm sorry for showing you that man,"

I felt my eyebrows come together as confusion swept over me. I understood what he was saying to a point, but not everything matched up. "Wh-what man?" I was about to say that I recognized everyone in my dream, but decided against it.

Timothy's form seemed to darken. He lowered his head. "The man that said those mean words to you... I'm sorry, my horrible memories and emotions and thoughts took your greatest fear, and mixed it with something you cared about, and gave you a horrible nightmare. I'm sorry my feelings corrupted your image of your father and that guy in your dreams,"

"What do you mean?" I asked, excitement rising in my voice. "Who was that man…" I gasped lightly. "to you?" I quickly added at the end. I was starting to get the impression that he thought that he put my father into my dream, replacing my real father. Something told me he had, but it was my father at first… what had happened?

After a little silence, Timothy gave me a sad crooked smile. "He… He saved me. He saved me, and the people who I loved. He didn't know them, but he didn't have to. It didn't matter. His whole purpose was to save us. It was his reason for being… reason for living,"

I took in the information as if I would die if I didn't remember it word by word. He was talking about my father, I could just tell. And… my father was a savor. He didn't do it for money or pity; he just had to save them. He sounded completely and utterly amazing to me. I began to imagine the things he's seen, and the people he saved… I wanted nothing more than to be by his side and experience it for myself. I smiled widely at Timothy. "It sounds so wonderful," I didn't realize the words came out of my mouth. I regretted it even before Timothy spoke.

"Wonderful?" Timothy looked at me harshly. "I didn't finish. One day, he left. He had no reason to, he just abandoned us. Most believe he switched sides: that he's working for the Millennium Earl as his 'dear missing brother'. Others say, he couldn't take Central, our 'higher ups', stalking him all the time, so he became a roaming exorcist. The Rookies believe he is just a myth, a legend spread around to scare them into obeying. A select few started spreading rumors that he fell in love, and left us all to defend the world on our own. Some, like my friend, Lavi, never gave up the search for him. A whole group of exorcist worked hard, and became generals, just so they could roam the world, looking for him, while playing off that they were in deep search for innocence. Of course, I wanted to join them, but I was too young to hurry off and go… I had barely started my training. I didn't want to believe it, but he was gone, and my master taught me so the hard way…" Timothy ran his hand through his spiky hair. "And, well… I kinda fell with the majority. I think he betrayed us, and is working for the enemy. He used to be a nice guy… and when I went into your dreams and your father immediately turned into him… and then, when seeing him, his form started to change based on all the crazy things I believed he…"

I stood up and walked over to Timothy. I put my hand on his knee in a comforting way. "Its okay, Mr. Timothy. If it makes you feel any better, I think he… well, it would be bitter sweetness if he fell in love,"

Timothy huffed, and then began to chuckle. "Yeah, and leaving his girlfriend bed written with grief for almost a year…" I was silent at his words. Was he really talking about my father? Father never told me he had a girlfriend before… wait. I almost forgot. He didn't tell me a lot of things. But another thought tickled the back of my mind…

Was that girl my mother?

Timothy's face showed a fake happiness, a fake smile, but it was obvious he was tormented with the conversation. I became distracted when I felt an odd poking at the back of my head, and I reached back to grab something small and fidgety. A smile appeared on my face.

"Oh, Tobimaru! How are you, my little bundle of golem?" I pulled Tobi into my view by his tail, which he did not seem to mind too much.

Timothy gasped. "Hey, you're the chick that took Lavi's golem! I knew it was you! Because of you, I have to meet Lavi a few towns over and give him a new one!"

I felt my face grow red. "I'm sorry, Mr. Timothy,"

"Oh, that Lavi… Flirts with every girl he sees, I tell ya. He sees a girl and the next thing you know… 'Strike!'" Timothy jumped on his bed. "He falls in love! Doesn't matter what situation he's in, if there's a pretty girl around, he's after her!"

I giggled lightly at his playful attitude. "Sir, I thought you to be above childish behaviors,"

"Huh? Me? No way!" Timothy jumped off the bed, landing on his feet in front of me. "I'm 19! I'm young and sexy and-"

"Sure you are, Mr. Timothy,"

"Oh ho ho!" Timothy crossed his arms. "Careful, I gotta big ego. If you crush it, you'll be sorry!" Timothy suddenly got a look of realization on his face. "Oh!" he cried, suddenly pointing his finger at me. "Wait, do you know what happened last night?" I frowned at his question. I began to mindlessly pet Tobi's wings as I tried to avoid his question. Sadly, I knew I could not. "Listen, I think you'll have to come with me back to HQ…"

I suddenly felt a glare on my face, which was something I did not do often. "Sir, I will not go anywhere with you. I'm looking for my father,"

Timothy nodded. "Yeah, Lavi told me that, but listen… you have innocence and a very powerful one as well. You can't just invoke it out of the blue, you need training! In fact, maybe you haven't even unlocked its full potential yet! You should really think about this!"

I shook my head. I would not listen. "I need to find my father-"

"This is no time to be childishly stubborn! Everywhere you go, Akuma will follow you," his words cut me off guard. "No matter where you go, they will find you. And it may just be level two now, but what about later? Huh? When the Akuma realize you're hard to beat, they send tougher ones to get you. What will you do when you meet a level three? When I was eleven, the first day –wait- the first hour that I found out I had innocence, a level two, a level three _and_ a level four Akuma attack me. I'd hate for that to happen to you…"

I fell onto his bed with a light thump. I remembered the first Akuma I fought. I didn't know I was fighting it... And it was a level two, it said. And the last two… where they level two as well? How long will the easy fights last? There had to be harder fights around the corner.

But even as I told myself to go with him, to listen to reason and what was understandable, my father entered my mind_. 'You where made for so much more…'_ those were his words to me. My mouth had formed a mind of its own. It formed a small smirk on my lips, and my voice came out louder than I predicted. "I have been blessed with a gift from God himself. I can control the wind, and I only found out what wind was a few days ago. I have defeated two level two Akuma's without even fully realizing what I was doing. Now, you can bring me to you HQ, but remember, I'll put up a fight the whole way. And if that doesn't faze you, remember, I can always blow you away. My name is Alicia, and my father knew I was destined for great things,"

Before Timothy could respond, there was a loud crash outside, followed by a hissing roar. "The werecat!" I cried. Instinct took over me. I ran towards the door, grabbing my coat off my bed. I had almost made it out the door before Timothy collapsed behind me. "Mr. Timothy!" I cried. I ran over to his side, checking to see the problem. Tobi hovered over him, and then began to shine a light over his body, as if he was scanning for a problem. I grabbed his head, and when I turned it towards me, I was shocked to realize that on his face was a smirk.

I stood up as fast as lightning. I walked to the window as I slipped my arms into my coat pocket, and before I could even think about what I was doing, I jumped out the window. Before I hit the ground, my chest began to glow and I found myself hovering. Tobi flew next to me, flapping his wings frantically around as if he was trying to tell me something. He turned towards a light, and with a nod of understanding, I followed him.

What I saw then was strange. I saw the werecat fighting another creature. It looked heavily armored, and it was slim and quick. It round house kicked the werecat in the face, and then began bouncing back and forth on both feet. The werecat growled angrily, and with a whip of his hands, a large amount of round, flying, multi-gunned balls were closing in on the creature. Suddenly, their guns centered on him, and they fired. I noticed that before any of the large bullets hit the creature, it exploded in an area of light. The Akuma was purified.

The dust settled, and the werecat gave an approving hiss to the pile of ashes on the ground. Its feline eyes soon shifted dangerously at me, and I could feel my muscles tighten. Tobi, feeling the tension, hid inside the hood of my coat. I met with the werecat's glare, and then spat on the ground. "Did you want some more?" I taunted the Akuma in front of me. I could feel the hairs on my arm stick up at his laugh.

"Actually, yes. I had brought my level three brother, but that filthy Exorcist took over his body when I least expected him to. No matter, I still have these level ones at my disposal. This should be fun, puny human!" the werecat pointed at me. "Attack!"

My first instinct was to jump in the air. When I was about twenty feet up, I dashed to where I was above the werecat. I meant to let myself fall towards the cat, but a giant ball flew in the way and I landed on it. I gasped when I realized that it wasn't the same as the others. It seemed very different.

And before I could voice my concerns, it shot a bullet in every direction, blowing up many of the floating balls. A smile appeared on my face. "Mr. Timothy?" I cried in delight. I could tell it was him. Why else would this strange ball be attacking the others? The ball began to glow, and I quickly jumped away from Timothy. I refocused on the werecat, who was glaring at me. I shifted my body to where I was rushing at him at fully speed, ready to rush my wind to crush him, when he gave a toothy smile to me.

I knew that I was heading for a trap. I tried to stop myself, but I realized I didn't have control anymore. I was not in control of my innocence…

The werecat pointed a long claw at me, and the other creatures fired. I thought it was the end. I braced myself, but then I felt my chest burning. I opened my eyes, and as the ground came closer and closer, something told me to increase me speed. I held my arms close to my body. I began to spin…

I found myself burrowing into the ground. I changed my direction, feeling the wind that was on the surface, I could tell where my pray laid. With a smirk on my lips, I stopped my digging, face up, and whipped my arm above me. The ground above me exploded, sending the Akuma above me hurtling upwards. I propelled myself upwards until I was eye level with it. A gasped escaped its mouth. "What? How did you…?"

'_Gale Blade…'_ whispered the wind as I raised my right arm into the shy. I sliced my arm down onto the Akuma. I was engulfed in a warm liquid as the clean cut spewed blood in every direction before being completely engulfed in light.

I let my body drift down to the ground. I felt a pair of eyes watching me. Turning, I saw Timothy giving me a look of approval. I didn't know how to react. I was drenched in blood, my hair was probably matted and my clothes stained. I knew he still wanted to bring me to his HQ, so that I may be train to 'professionally' kill the beings just like the one I cut in half. I felt my breath slowly even out and the glowing sensation radiating from my chest began to dim.

Timothy crossed his arms for a moment, but chuckled to himself as he turned away. "I'm gonna send word to HQ…" I frowned at his words, but I could sense a smile on his mischievous face. "I'm gonna tell them… 'I met an Accommodator, but she got away before I could get ahold of her.' They'll know of your existence, and they may even send people out to find you, but you'll have time to find your dad. Take care of yourself, kid!"

A smile appeared on my face as understanding washed over me. "Really? Thank you, Mr. Timothy! You won't regret this! I'll find my father soon, I know I will! Thank you!" Tobimaru wiggled out of my hood and looked at Timothy as I waved my farewell. I snatched him out of the air and gave him a kiss of happiness. I giggled excitedly, taking my leave and yelling at the top of my lungs.

_Let the Akuma come and get me. Let the Exorcist chase my trail of dust. I will fly as fast as the wind, and find my father in no time._

**No real Allen in the chapter ^^' I had to give some light on how Alicia's life was before. If you know her past, then you can understand her decisions more!**

**And I LOVE reviews! I actually write more with reviews. I want to keep my updates regular, so I just keep adding and adding more chapters in line… and when I'm stuck, I go back and edit chapter after chapter, making sure everything makes sense and has a purpose…**

**So, Review! Better quality story if you do ^^**


	5. Chapter 5

**6,254 words! Yay! And sorry for the late hour update… I forgot what day it was…**

**Warning! This chapter jumps around a lot! May be a little crazy and/or hard to understand!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own DGM. I do not own its amazingness. I just write fanfiction. **

**I do own Alicia, Tobi, Jason, Nancy, and any other OC's in my story! And the plot, I own this plot!**

**Happy readings!**

_Link, remember that one favor you said I could have? Well, I think this… If you can just keep this a secret from everybody, we can be even… Please, keep her a secret… _

_ Cilicia…_

_**/O\**_

Allen opened his eyes slowly as his vision of the past faded from existence. He sat up slowly, letting the blankets that covered his bare chest fall. As he gazed down, he ran his left hand across the scars that covered him, the most prominent one being where he pierced himself with his own sword. It would still sting, still burn him to the core, but he could deal with the pain. It was nothing compared losing the people he cared about… which seemed be to happening to him all over again.

There was a light tap on the door. Allen looked up with blank eyes as he unconsciously reached for his white shirt. "Come in," he called in his monotone voice. The pain... it hurt him to his very core.

"Allen, sir?" a voice called wearily as the door knob turned. Allen stood up from his bed and awaited the being to enter. Allen began to realize where he was when Jason's form entered the room. He quickly finished buttoning up his shirt. "Hello, sir," Jason gave a weak smile.

"Hey, Jason," Allen called back, giving back a smile that seemed just as weak as he felt. He made sure his shirt was buttoned up to his collar. "How are you this morning?"

Jason hesitatively took a step into the room. "I'm conflicted, sir. I'm sorry…"

Allen chuckled meekly as he sat back on his bed. "How can a 16 year old be conflicted? Besides, it can't be as hard as what I had to do at your age. I promise you, no one should ever have to work as hard as I did," at that point, Allen had achieved his emotional mask. All his pain and worrying was no longer apparent on his face. He knew that all Jason could see was a smile.

And Jason smiled back at Allen. He believed that the 24 year old man in front of him had a strong will, and that he could always pull through any situation. Allen had been a role model for him since he had met him, eight years ago, while he was only eight. Seeing how intellectual and strong Allen was, Jason began to study books and help out the neighbors with chores. He planned to one day become a teacher, and to also build his own house, just like Allen had done.

And so, after seeing Allen smiling, he figured it was okay to tell him. Jason took a seat on a rocking chair that was in the corner of the room. "You see, sir," Jason began, leaning forwards his the chair. "Yesterday, before you're arrival, a strange man came by. He wore weird clothing… He seemed pretty important looking… he asked my dad all kinds of weird questions,"

Allen's emotional mask began to weaken. His face had a look of worry. "What kind of questions?" he asked with seriousness overlaying curiosity in his voice.

"Well, he asked what a village was doing in the middle of the forbidden forest… isn't that strange?" Jason chuckled. "Dad knew he wasn't from around here after that. He had to explain how parents would worry about their children running off into the forest and getting lost, so they gave the forest a nickname to scare the kids. The name stuck after so long," Jason scratched the back of his head. "Of course, when this was happening, we were all pretty distracted. The whole village wanted to go and look for Alicia. We were splitting into groups, ready to send out about a dozen search parties… after we told him that we were missing someone, he seemed…"

Allen raised an eyebrow at Jason's pause. "What's wrong?" Allen's voice was on the verge of cracking. He swallowed a lump in his throat.

"He seemed to… _know_," Jason gripped his knees. "He asked what she looked like. He said he wanted to help. So when we told him, he began to look troubled… after we sent out a party, he continued on his way…"

A knot formed in Allen's stomach. He thought of Timcanpy's hologram and wondered. He wondered if that was Alicia's last moment, and maybe… the man found the remains.

The pain was no longer able to be kept under control. Allen was about to speak, but he choked on his voice. Tear's escaped his eyes as he bowed his head and sobbed into his hands. "She's… she's gone, isn't she?" Allen choked on his words. "My little girl… She wouldn't even call me Daddy. She was so sweet and… She didn't deserve it! She didn't…"

Jason jumped in his seat when he heard Allen's sob. His own eyes began to fill with tears. Before he could let them fall, he shook his head. He found his way to Allen's side. As he put his hand on his shoulder, he took a shallow breath. "She can't be dead, sir. You see, that's why I'm conflicted. I didn't know if this was important enough to share…" Jason awkwardly scratched the back of his head. Allen tried to get his sobs under control. He whipped his eyes clean of tears and looked up to Jason with eyes the begged for comfort. Jason sat next to Allen as he continued. "A boy came here early this morning… he said he had a letter, but when he looked in all his pockets, he didn't find anything. He ran back to the forest to look for it. I think that it was from Alicia… Maybe it was something about why she ran away…?"

Allen reached over hesitatively and patted Jason's back. It did bring slight hope, but then he thought of the many horrible scenarios … a letter delivering the news of her death, a hostage letter, a letter from the Black Order…

Allen's eyes became wide. '_A strange man came by… he seemed to… __**know**__._'

Allen grabbed Jason's shoulders and held him back. "What did you say that man looked like?" Allen snapped, looking at Jason with wild eyes. Jason blinked at Allen in shocked before he spoke.

"He had a weird uniform…" Allen stood up and went to his suitcase. He flipped open the locks and rummaged through it before finding what he was looking for.

"Did it look like this?" Allen pulled out his uniform. His black coat looked sleek and new, for he took great care of it. Its red trimmings look crimson red in the morning light, and the chains gave an almost eerie shine off. Jason's eyes became wide as he nodded his head. "Damn," Allen cursed. He gripped his coat in his left hand tightly. He turned back to Jason. "And you said he asked what _she_ looked like?"

Jason's eyes grew wide as realization washed over him. "The man already knew who we were looking for…"

"Those bastards…" Allen gritted his teeth. '_They know… they know she's at least related to me… she's so honest, why wouldn't she tell them who her father was?_'

"Sir?" Jason's voice was full of worry. He had never seen Allen in such a way. He had always been calm and collected, or at least playful when around Alicia. But what Jason saw was anger and frustration. Allen's dark, wild eyes reached back to Jason's, making Jason shiver from his glare. Allen blinked at Jason's almost trembling form.

"I'm sorry, Jason," Allen called. He turned away from the young boy. He looked down at his coat with daggers before he began to slip his arms through the sleeves. "I think I know where Alicia is. If I'm right," Allen turned to Jason. "May God have mercy on their souls,"

_**/O\**_

"Hn…" seven level one Akuma in human form sulked in an uneven line towards the east. They walked with an aura of defeat surrounding them; a depressive gloom that seemed to hang in the air around them. I could tell they did not succeed, not that I had an attention of them doing so.

"Lord Mikk…" a brave Akuma removed its hat and bowed before me. I leaned myself back in my chair, bringing a finely made martini to my mouth. "We did not find General Walker like you asked. We looked very hard but… Slim is dead,"

My eyes shot open as I spit my martini out. "What a waste," I murmured, speaking about both Slim and the martini. Slim was only a level two Akuma, but he was high ranked because he could see many things quickly. His could register small, subtle actions, and he did very well at leading large groups of Akuma. It would have been a sad lost if I were completely a team player, But nonetheless, an air of confusion washed over me. I threw my legs over the side of my lounge chair and looked at the Akuma with skeptical eyes. "How could that be?"

The Akuma began to ruffle his hat nervously. "There was an exorcist…"

"The general..?" I had begun to ask, but another voice distracted me.

"No, two exorcist!" An Akuma that had lingered in the back spoke up. "There were two, Lord Mikk! And neither of them were a general!"

"One of them was a child! I'm so ashamed-"

"And the child could fly!"

"Like a demon monkey! The thing cut Slim with its bare hands!"

"Slim was almost a level three! How did this happen?"

"Yeah! And the other exorcist took the level three's body!"

"Silence!" I threw my glass at them. They all shrieked at the shattering glass, as if they expected it to blow up their faces. I growled at the Akuma in front of me. "You were given a simple mission; find General Walker and dispose of him. Not only could you not do that, but you found yourselves defeated by two other exorcists! They were not even generals!" I huffed, resting myself back on my lounge chair. "Some Akuma owe me a new martini…"

I brought my hands together and intertwined my fingers. I began to wonder about what had been said. _'A child?'_ the thought lingered in my mind like a heavy weight. _'Defeated by a child… that could fly?'_

At that moment, horrible memories of my former self played in my mind. The images confused me, bugging me even further about the said child. _'A child with innocence…'_ When my mind was confused as it was, I would usually consult Allen. He seemed to understand how it was to have another life hidden deep in your subconscious. Maybe it was because the 14th was inside of him, or maybe he just had his secrets…

It was then that I remembered the last time I saw Allen. He ran off right before the Earl appeared, thank God, but he seemed more distressed than usual. The picture that Timcanpy had shown us flashed back in my mind. The little girl that had been trapped by the wind Akuma, and Timcanpy being completely helpless…

'_Thinking of that Akuma; where is the wind… mover? Oh, Wind Waker,'_ I thought as I shifted my eyes to the other Akuma. Upon making eye contact with one of them, they all flinched and took a step back. "Where is the Wind Waker?" the question came out like venom. The Akuma flinched again.

"Wind Waker was killed," one of the Akuma stated.

"What?" I snapped. Was it Allen? Did he bring salvation to its soul?

"He was killed… that's why the Earl asked you to kill the general, because he thought the general killed him. It was a large amount of power, and…"

I ran my hand through my dark hair, completely ignoring what the Akuma said next. '_Impossible,_' I thought. _'I was with Allen a little before Lord Millennium showed up…'_ my eyes became wide at my logic. That's right, I was with him. Which means Allen couldn't have killed the Akuma. But if Allen didn't… who did?

An image sprang into my head. A small being of pureness that smiled at me, the same way Road would smile at Allen. It was a large and innocent smile. I could tell it was a female. She outstretched her arm to me, and her tiny lips mouthed my name. I felt myself engrossed, completely trapped in my imagination. I tried to move, but my body did not obey me.

'_Noah of pleasure…_' From the child's outstretched arms, a swirl of air danced across her fingertips. _'You have kept me waiting. No matter, I shall give you the power to touch whatever your heart desires,'_ the voice cooed. The sound was like bells to my ear. The child closed her eyes as she tilted her head, the smile still planted confidently on her lips. _'… and maybe something more, But at a cost. You have to promise me. With this power, free me, and bind me to the human soul's…'_

My eyes snapped open. "The child," I murmured, standing up and throwing my jacket over my shoulder. "I'd love to stay and chat more with you, but I think I have more important things to get to. Keep looking for the general," I hummed as I rested my hat on top of my head and took my leave.

_**/O\**_

"Tobi, do you think we can find my father alone?" I looked up towards my little bronze golem. He was hovering beside my head, his four wings looking like eight as he flapped them continuously. They were almost a blur to the human eye. I felt the wind his wings exerted was enough to make the leaves on s tree blow, but because of the motion and movements of his wings, he could use the wind to fly. It was truly an amazing thing. I glanced away from his beautiful wings as I continued to speak. "I mean, I'm sure we will find him. It shouldn't be too hard. If we're close, we should find Timcanpy. And it wouldn't be a problem to kill some Akuma along the way… but if we're going the completely wrong direction, how would we know?"

Tobi made a motion that seemed close to shrugging. I released a small laugh. "Okay, my bronze golem," I cooed as I smiled towards him. He hovered as he looked at me. He flew into my forehead, as if he had given me a little kiss. I giggled as I looked forwards to see only trees ahead of me. I sighed as I smoothed out my yellow skirt. I had to change because my other clothes were covered in blood. It didn't bother me at first, but after a while I felt like I would pass out from the smell. I washed my clothes, but after they dried I found myself too lazy to change back.

Ah, blood, the thing that runs through our veins to keep up alive. If we lose too much, it'll only be a matter of time. I never was afraid of blood. I never really was afraid of anything, that is, of course, unless it was staring me straight in the face. Then, the little girl in me would scream for Father's help.

Ah, Father… where could he be? I found myself missing him terribly. I closed my eyes as I walked, thinking about my father. Father used to stare at the mirror. When he didn't think he was being watched, he would stare for hours. If you watched closely, he would have a grimace on his face. I remembered one time he looked into the mirror with such horror I thought he was going to smash it into tiny pieces. What was he so afraid of?

I shook my head of the memories that were filled with fear and confusion. I began to hum a small song that was stuck in the back of my head. It was the lullaby that father had taught me when I was fairly young, maybe since I was just a baby. The song was amazing, it really was. Sometimes I would remember the words, and sing them out loud.

"Watashi wa inori tsuzukeru," I skipped along the rocks, dancing like how I used to when father would sing with me. Tobi seemed to fly by me in harmony. As he whipped his wings, I could've sworn I heard the beautiful, mystifying music that the song was played to. "Douka konoko ni ai wo…" I spun as I was lost in the tune my father used to hum. He always seemed the most peaceful when he sang this song. "Tsunaida te ni kisu wo…"

It seemed almost eerie to me to dance through a forest while humming a small tune. It was like an old horror story that big kids would tell the little kids all the time. I was the weird one because nobody could ever scare me, but now that I was living one of the tails, I actually believed that a creepy man would come behind me and snatch me away. Of course, after thinking such a thing, I laughed uncontrollably. I had sliced an Akuma in two using my bare hands, and I was afraid of a human being? Yeah right!

"What's so funny?" My laughter ceased. I felt my face grow pale as I sense someone behind me. I slowly turned around to see a man standing behind me. The little eight year old girl in me came out, and I was about to run away screaming, when he suddenly smiled at me. His smile was very sweet. "I heard your singing... Why did you laugh suddenly?"

I could only stare at the man. It seemed unreal to me that a real person was talking to me, so I couldn't find the courage to speak to him. I blink a few times before the man also became uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, let me introduce myself. I'm…" Tobi fluttered around my head nervously, as if he just realized that something was wrong with me. The man seemed intrigued. "Look at that…" He cooed as he examined him. When he reached out to grab him, my eyes became wide.

"Don't touch him!" I cried. I snatched Tobi out of the air and began to run. I held Tobi close to my heart, fearing that he would suddenly disappear if I let him go. I jumped on two big rocks, onto a tree, then back down to the ground, never losing my momentum. As I ran, I realized how much of a child I was acting. I was just overreacting to a simple man's question. Still, I guessed it was too late. I slowed down, trying to conserve some air, and I noticed a figure standing beside me. I turned and noticed the man was walking next to me. My previous thoughts slipped from my mind as I jumped back and screamed. "What do you want?"

"Me?" the man pointed to himself. "Oh, I'm just curious. I guess I just wanted to know how you know that song,"

My eyebrows fumbled together. "It's just a simple lullaby. 'I will never cease to pray…'" I sang in a slight whisper. The man shook his head.

"You're singing it differently now," the man leaned forwards, an air of mystery and wonder swirling around him. "When you sang it before, it was different. It had more… _power_…" The man looked into my eyes for a moment. I realized he was right. When I didn't try to sing, I heard it come from my lips. When I sang with my heart, I _felt_ it. Father always said there was power in the words. Sudden, a wide smile appeared on the man's face. He took off his hat and pointed at me. "Alicia? That has to be you!"

I gasped at the man. I was astonished to hear him say my name. "How did you-?"

"This is wonderful! I can't believe I found you! No wonder I thought you were about to open up an ark portal…" the man chuckled slightly, running his hand through his short, dark hair. He looked down at me with his dark eyes. A smirk played on his lips. "My God in heaven, you look just like you're father. You know, before he was cursed..."

I stumbled over what to say. "But… Sir, you don't know who I am. How could you possibly-?" I stopped in mid-sentence. I looked at the man in front of me as confusion itched at my mind. "Cursed?" I breathed the question. What did he mean, curse? I studied the man in front of me. He looked familiar, but at the same time I knew that I couldn't know him. He had a tan complexion, and from what I heard from his voice, he could have been a Spaniard. I shook my head. "Who are you?"

"My name is Reynaldo," The man bowed towards me, making me feel a bit uncomfortable. He treated me as royalty, and I was not as such. His voice continued as he lingered on his bow. "Having abandoned my last name after the… tragedy…" Reynaldo lifted himself up and straightened the hat on his head. "…I have taken the name of the man who I like to call my brother in-law. So you may call me Reynaldo _Walker_. But please, Ally, just call me Rey,"

With my wide eyes I looked at the man in front of me. He wore a simple outfit. It wasn't entirely dressy, but it wasn't poppers clothes either. It slightly reminded me of my father's clothes, only his shirt was gray, and his vest was black. The tie around his neck was a deep blue color and tied in a messy bow. The man in front of me had well-trimmed, short hair on his head, but he had quite the five-O-clock shadow on his face. A married woman would call him handsome, while a young maiden would call him sexy. I, on the other hand, would call him extremely familiar. As I looked at his dark eyes, a memory appeared in my head.

I blinked at the man in front of me once again. "You… You look like that women in the picture,"

"_She was beautiful…"_

"_She was… and she would still be, if her father… never mind that. It's all past now…"_

"_But, sir, you must honor her,"_

"_I do honor her. I honor her every day by raising little Alicia. I'll keep her happy, I'll teach her right from wrong, and I'll keep her safe, and that's all she wanted,"_

"_But you should frame that so you can show respect-"_

"_It is framed! And… I know what she would want. She wouldn't want us morning over her, she would want us to keep living. Besides, Alicia…"_

"_Father," I called from behind the door. I saw my father turn towards me, a look of shock on his face. His eyebrows came together as a sign of worry as he bent down to my level._

"_What's wrong, Ally?" He said as he put a hand on my shoulder._

_I poked my head out from behind the door. "I had a nightmare," I whimpered. He smiled at me. _

"_Let me go to sleep with you. Then, I could fight off all those bad monsters-"_

_I began to giggle. "Father! I'm four now, I don't need you sleeping with me!"_

_Father frowned at my words. "W-what?" He asked in shock._

_I giggled again, stepping away from the door. "I want a glass of water. I think I had a nightmare because I ate too much food that had sugar in it. If I drink some water, the math monsters will go away…"_

"_W-why… why are you growing up so fast?" Father sobbed. "I thought I'd have a few more years before you decided you didn't need me…" Father continued sobbing as he stood up and went into the kitchen. I saw Mrs. Nancy walking behind him, holding back her laughter. I smiled as I waited patiently for my drink. My eyes drifted across the hallway, finally landing on the table where my father had left a picture frame. I walked over and picked it up, letting my curious eyes travel across the picture. "Alicia!" Father cried. He ran over to me and snatched the picture out of my hands._

_I looked up to my father with tear filled eyes. He had scared me. He had never done such a thing before. He dropped to his knees in front to me. He wrapped his arms around my body and held me tight. "I'm sorry, Father. I should have asked first..."_

_Father tightened his hold on me. "No! No… I'm sorry… I will never ever snatch anything from you ever again, Alicia. I promise…"_

_Father led me into my room and tucked me into bed. I knew that I would never forget what I saw on that picture. _

"I saw a beautiful woman. She had raven black hair. It was wavy and pretty, and seemed to shine off a blue color. It complimented her slim figure. She had dark brown eyes… or were they dark blue…? Her skin was almost as dark as yours, sir. She was wearing a lovely gown of purple, green, and beige. She had a crown on her head… she looked like a princess. She seemed very happy," my face held confusion very well as the man gave me a small smile.

"Your father never told you…?" the man shook his head. On his face I could read the disappointment. "Well, I can understand, you are only seven..."

I gave a mock gasp. "I'm eight, thank you very much! I'm almost nine!"

Reynaldo chuckled, sensing that I was merely playing him. He scratched his temple in the same mocking way. "Really? I guess that means… well, what the hell? That woman you saw was my sister,"

"Oh," I mumbled. I blinked at the man as he stuffed his hand into his pocket. "Why would my father have a picture of your sister?"

Reynaldo chuckled at me, shaking his head; probably thinking that I was so naive. "Because your mother wasn't the only woman he ever loved. She was quite fond of you, though. She would've taken you away if…" he became silent. He fixed his hat on his head. "Well… My sister wanted to marry your father. She wanted to raise you and maybe have more kids… but that's a story your father should tell you. Did he tell you much about your own mother?"

"No, sir… How can you know so much?" The man called Reynaldo was poking my curiosity. He seemed to know so much more about my father than I did. He seemed friendly enough, but I was very paranoid, and I knew better than to trust him off the bat.

Reynaldo chuckled. "Walk with me, Alicia," I didn't think it was a suggestion. I walked by the man's side, realizing that he was going the same direction I was. Tobi hovered around us, flying in what looked like figure eights as he continuously circled us. I looked up to Reynaldo; He was very tall, very lean. He had an air of royalty surrounding him, though he did not dress as such. He took out a cigarette and lit it. "You see," Rey began as he flicked the used match on the ground. "Your father and my sister planned to marry… though it did not happen. Your father is still my brother, though. I can't see him any other way. I'd like to think that we keep in contact a lot, though we don't really. I do get to hear stories and whatnot," he took a long drag and looked down at me. "I thought you knew you had an uncle Rey,"

I shook my head. "No, Sir… Are you sure you have the right Alicia?"

Reynaldo chuckled. "Of course I do. Your father's name is Allen Walker!" I felt my eyebrows come together as he said that out loud. I looked around nervously, as if I expected someone to jump out of the shadows and take me away. Reynaldo noticed my wariness. "Don't worry, child. It's not like the Order can just take you away. They have no reason to, after all. They wouldn't take you unless… unless they were dying to get their hands on your father. I don't think they are… not yet,"

"What's the Order?" I asked him with true curiosity. The Order had been mentioned before, I think, but I had no clue of its true purposes. Reynaldo stopped walking.

"The Black Order. It's the Order that is working against the Earl… You know who the Earl is, right?" I shook my head. I couldn't recollect any Earl from the stories I've heard. He looked down at me with disbelief. "I thought your father would have explained all this to you, especially since you're traveling with him,"

I looked up to him with confusion all over my face. "I'm not traveling with him. I'm looking for him," after a moment, I believed that Reynaldo was expecting Father to come out of the shadows, where we could have a 'family reunion'. He didn't realize that I was completely new to the situation.

"Wha-?" Reynaldo gasped. "What do you mean? I thought you should have been traveling with him since you were five…"

I shook my head in confusion. "I haven't left the village-"

"What village?" Reynaldo seemed puzzled. I blinked at his question. Where did he think that I lived?

"The village in the Forbidden Forest," Reynaldo began to laugh hysterically. I found myself glaring at him. "What?"

"That little town in the middle of Whispering Forest?" he asked, his voice laced with laughter. "I remember when they started calling it a Forbidden Forest… and by that I mean your father. He started that little trend. You see, it was when you barely began to walk. You were very smart back then, still smart now, and the Whispering Forest was always beautiful and clean, and surely a fun playground. You gave your father a heart attack when he couldn't find you! He started telling you every day to never go into the 'Forbidden Forest' or else," Reynaldo chuckled as he whipped a tear away from his eye. "Neighboring parents overheard, and began telling their children as well. I knew the children would grow up not knowing any other name for it…"

"You talk as if you were there," I expressed my wonder aloud. Reynaldo regained his composer, straightening his hat and continuing walking. I watched as he took another drag of his cigarette and blew it into the sky. He looked at me from the corner of his eye.

"Never smoke these," he waved the cigarette above me. "Rumor has it, they can kill you," he took another drag after saying that, making me roll my eyes. Sure, do it right after you tell a small, impressionable child not to. Smart.

As we continued walking, I realized that he had changed the subject. He was very tricky; Am I sure I'm not related to this guy? I looked up at him, seeing him walking with a smirk on his face. He knew he had avoided it. He was a smug man. "Mr. Reynaldo," I muttered as I stared up at him, slightly pleased in how I've caught him in the act. "Were you around when I was a baby?"

Reynaldo was silent for a little while. He seemed detracted for a moment before he chuckled. "You don't remember?" I shook my head at his sarcastic question. He smirked towards me. "I was around when you were tiny. Not always, I had to find you guys first… I was there when your father finished building your house. It was the first solo house he ever did in the village. He even made a room for me to stay in, but one day, Allen asked me for a favor that would take up all my time. Of course, I couldn't refuse a request from Allen. Soon after, I found myself traveling around, looking for innocence or any signs of it. If I found any, I was to leave a note about it on a city task board. He would eventually come around and collect the innocence…"

"Father collects innocence?" I shrieked. I had my suspicions, and from what Timothy said, I was even surer of it. But if Reynaldo could verify it…

Reynaldo chuckled, his voice was smug. "Of course he collects innocence, he's an exorcist,"

"I knew it," I breathed, taking in the information that I needed. He was an exorcist… my suspicions were correct. I never felt more relieved. Strangely, I was extremely happy. With my father, I was as safe as I could be. I understood my lack of fear all these years. I was never afraid because my father kept all the evil away. He Is an Exorcist… and so was I.

At that moment, I wished I knew were my father was. I wanted to see him, to talk to him, to share my happiness that we were alike in that way… Reynaldo patted my head with his gloved hand, breaking me away from my thoughts.

"You should know all this already," he sighed. He seemed quiet annoyed at my lack of knowledge. He suddenly gasped. "Hey…" he raised a skeptical eyebrow at me. "How can you know about exorcist, but not know about the other stuff,"

I gave Reynaldo a crooked smile that looked much like his own. "I actually met a few exorcists," My lips pursed as I thought for a moment. I didn't quite know how to explain. I didn't want him to know about my innocence… He was supposedly my uncle, how could I tell him? I decided to do what I did best. Tell the truth, but not all of it. "I found Timcanpy without my father. I followed him out of the village for the first time, where I met an exorcist… there was a terrible wind storm, and I got separated from Timcanpy. Luckily, I made friends with this little guy," I reached out a plucked Tobi from in front of me. I rubbed his adorable small frame to my cheek before I let him fly away again. He sure liked to make me dizzy by flying around me in circles. I gave a small giggle before I remembered what I was talking about. "Oh, and I immediately thought that the exorcist was after Timcanpy. I ran away as soon as I could, but I got trapped in the wind storm… the Exorcist found me at a Mrs. Leona's house, and he explained a little about exorcist to me. Turns out the cause of the storm was a level two Akuma,"

"Really?" Reynaldo took his last drag of his cigarette as he watched me from the corner of his eye. "Did you get a name from the exorcist?"

"Mr. Lavi," I stated. He nodded slowly to me. He took another drag of his cigarette very slowly. I gave him a small smile. "I met another Exorcist, Mr. Timothy. He snuck into my dreams… and he told me about father without actually knowing my relations to him. I knew Father was an exorcist, but I had my doubts," I looked ahead of me, seeing only trees and dead grass. Why were these exorcists looking for my father? "Mr. Reynaldo?" I muttered under my breath. "Did my father do something bad… why is he hated by some of the exorcist?"

I heard a sigh escape Reynaldo's lips. "You really don't know anything, do you?" I found myself shaking my head. He sighed again as he ruffled my hair. "Why didn't you travel with your father? Why did you stay in that god awful town?"

My eyes became wide and my anger spiked. Instinctively, I found myself on the ground, swinging my legs to kick Reynaldo's legs from under him. He fell to the ground harshly and I stood above him with a menacing glare. "_Never_ say that about my home," I growled. He blinked up at me, his mouth open and sweat beading down him face. He slowly began to pick himself up with a look of nonbelief in his eyes.

"Okay… so you don't travel with Allen… but you know how to do that?" he whipped his sweat with his shirt sleeve. I tilted my head innocently.

"I know how to protect myself, sir. Doesn't every little girl with a protective father?"

"Not like that," he regained his composer after taking many deep breaths. He fixed his hat on his head again. "Doesn't travel with Allen, but can still kick some serious butt. I like you, Alicia. I'm proud to be your uncle," I don't know why, but a smile stretched across my face. Reynaldo smiled at me as he held out his hand. "Come with me. We can find your father together. Besides, I've missed my adorable niece very, very much,"

Tobi circled my head twice before he rested himself on top of my head. I looked up to him and we shared a knowing nod. We both agreed on what had to be done. I reached my hand out to shake Reynaldo's. "You've got a deal,"

_**/O\**_

**OMG these lyrics! ( I found many different forms… I'm showing you the first and last version I found.)**

**Watashi wa inori tsuzukeru~**

_**I will still continue to pray/I will never cease to pray**_

**Douka knonoko ni ai wo~**

_**Please bestow upon this child your love/oh please show the child what love is**_

**Tsunaidateni kisuwo~**

_**Upon our joined hands, leave a gentle kiss/please give a kiss to his hands you hold**_

**O_o Neah is a beautiful writer! He did write that, right? Anyway, I haven't met him in the manga yet… so I don't know much about that guy… but I wanted a lullaby so I choose the 14****th**** song. I didn't know it was so beautiful! T_T I read the manga… it doesn't affect you the same… because hearing the beautiful melody is amazing…**

**If you haven't heard it, go to youtube… now. And start crying…**

**I also found an English cover as to which I am very fond of ^^**

**Anyway, it was warned that this was everywhere at once. I like this chapter though. I really do ^^**

**Reynaldo is one of my new favorite OC's! I thought Alicia would be my favorite, but the Reynaldo I came up with is sexy XD I knew there needed to be some consistency in the story, so adding a traveling partner that can talk… great idea on my part ^^**

**And Yes, Alicia is 8. I'd like to point out that my story will get very interesting ^^ but I got really stuck on how to reveal the past… but it's coming together!**

**VERY IMPORTANT!~ click on my name, go to my profile, and take my poll! It's important that you do this! I'll keep it up until the next time I update, so please give me some feed back!**

**Review for the life of you! I heart reviews. I weally weally do!**


	6. Chapter 6

**7,948 Words! I'm very happy!**

**Sorry that I did not update last week... I had so much homework that I was having an overload. But you can't be mad at me today, because it is my birthday! ^^**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

"Okay, how many girlfriends did my father have?" I asked. A vein was bulging out of my forehead at this point. For the past hour or so, Reynaldo had been rejecting all my questions. I knew I was getting nowhere with this stubborn man next to me. I didn't even know why I kept trying.

"Again, that's something your father should tell you," Reynaldo flicked the ashes off his cigarette. He walked with one hand in his pocket, the other holding his cigarette and making hand motions. He was elegant in his ways, and very interesting to talk to: that is, when I could get something out of him.

"Okay, what about that curse you mentioned?" I growled lightly. I was becoming irritated. Who's to say my father would even tell me this stuff? I knew it wasn't fair. To think, if I just traveled with my father, I would know much more. But that man my fault. I kept denying him.

"You don't know _that_?" he pointed at me with an incredulous look on his face. Slowly he began to chuckle as he brought his cigarette to his mouth. "I definitely can't tell you that," he muttered as he took another drag.

I sighed in defeat. I couldn't get any valuable information from him. All my pestering was for naught. I looked up so I could see Tobi, to feel peace as I looked upon my little bronze golem, but I was completely shocked to see that he wasn't there. I looked around frantically. "Tobi? Tobimaru! Where are you?" I spun around, not seeing any sign of my beloved golem. Why would he run off suddenly? I looked back to Reynaldo, who held a curious look on his face. "Mr. Reynaldo, I don't see Tobi anywhere..."

"Tobi? You mean your golem?" I nodded. He raised an eyebrow at me before pointing upwards. I followed his hand and saw a small glint of bronze. A smile appeared on my face.

"Tobimaru!" I cried. Tobi seemed to turn to look in my direction before being completely engulfed in a shadow. I gasped. "Tobi!" I found myself running at full speed, determined to get back what was mine. I jumped onto a rock, grabbed a tree limb and propelled myself forwards. I began systematically jumping from limb to limb, following a shadow that ran off with Tobi's tail wiggling around frantically from its mouth. I reached my high point, knowing that if I went any higher the tree's branches wouldn't be able to hold me. I looked ahead of me, seeing the shadow continuing to climb higher than me. I continued to follow at my level, keeping up with the shadows swift and agile movements. I caught up with it, stretching my arms outwards, almost about to catch it…

"…cia! Alicia! Watch out!" it was then that the tree branches below me snapped, and I was knocked into the sky. My eyes became wide as I felt myself go weightless for a slight moment. At that moment, I noticed the shadow in front of me stop to look at me. A slender black cat with a cross like symbol on its forehead looked at me with bored eyes. It meowed, letting Tobi out of its mouth before jumping off the tree.

I began to fall. I felt my side smack into something large as I fell. I screamed as my body fell towards the ground. I knew I could save myself, but I was panicked.

'_What if Reynaldo didn't react well? What if he thought I was damned? What if he only barely approved of father in the first place?_'

I wouldn't know how I could stand to rejection, especially rejection from a long lost uncle. But as the ground became closer, I was surer I would have no choice. I began to activate my innocence, my chest giving off a slight glow, but suddenly I hit a hard surface with a large thud.

I gasped at the slight pain from my head and back. I sat up quickly, regretting it just as I did so, and realized I was on a light shield of some kind. I looked down and saw that Reynaldo was releasing a relieved sigh as he stood behind another man.

The said man wore tan robes, and had a machine in his hands that projected light that seemed to be that thing that held me in the air. On his face was a look of forced concentration. Beads of sweat fell from his forehead as he held the machine in his grasp. I stood up, ignoring the pain that ran through my body, and I carefully jumped down from the light shield. As I jumped down, I snatched Tobi out from midair, and brought him down with me.

"You okay?" The man asked. I nodded to his question, which caused my nerves in my neck to pulse. That barrier saved me from broken bones, but it did hurt my body. My nerves were pulsing from pain, but I wouldn't let them know that. I swallowed the pain in a gulp.

"Who are you?" I asked as I looked at the unknown man's contraption. Before he could answer, a giant ball came into view and began firing.

"Level one Akuma!" I heard the man scream. My attention moved towards the giant mass that had guns pointing from every direction. So, they were the level ones.

"That's what broke the branches," I stated more than asked. The man shined the light around us. I blinked at the barrier that kept the bullets from hitting us. I looked at Reynaldo, expecting some kind of explanation, but all I saw was him casually standing towards the back of the barrier; hands in his pockets, a smirk on his face. I shook my head with confusion as I turned back towards the man. He gritted his teeth together as he tightened his grip on the machine.

"I don't know how long the barrier will last! I need to call for back up! We need an exorcist-!" the light that surrounded us exploded, and the bullets shot straight for the man in tan. I ran as fast as my nerve tingling legs could take me. I pushed the man out of the way, knowing that I would take whatever fate was in store for him. I felt a bullet graze the back of my leg, and I gasped from the contact. I tried to stand my ground, gripping my shin in pain. I could feel a warm liquid draining to my hand. i felt my ears pop, as if there was a change of pressure in my body. I felt like throwing up.

"Alicia!" I heard Reynaldo screech. His casual composure had completely demolished as I fell, panting heavily from the pain. He ran to my side, gripping my shoulders as I glared towards the Akuma. I felt my leg tingle as the poison spread though my veins. Reynaldo tried to speak, but no words came out of his mouth. My leg began to turn black as pentacles spread over my skin. I gave him a sad smile as I leaned into him and closed my eyes steadily. Reynaldo shrieked. "Alicia, don't die on me!"

I turned my head to the man in tan and I slowly smiled at him. "Now… now I can have a clear conscience… we're even," the man gave a look of horror to me, and I could see the immense sadness and regret in his eyes. I gave a small smile; he thought I was giving my last words…

I believe not.

My chest began to glow, and I felt a wonderful uplifting sensation as the poison dissipated from my body. Reynaldo gasped and stumbled back as the wind whipped around me, bringing me up to my feet. I tapped my foot against the ground, feeling that my shin as strong as ever. I looked down at Reynaldo with another sad smile before I bent my knees and shot myself into the sky. I did a front flip before I freefell towards the Akuma. I lifted my right arm, feeling the swirling wind obeying me, I smirked. "Gale Blade; south, southeast!" I cried as I swung my arm down, then towards the left. The Akuma's split where my wind blade hit before it exploded entirely. I drifted towards the ground lightly, feeling the wind slowly drift back onto its original course. I looked behind me just in time to see the man in tan standing up.

"An exorcist…? How… lucky," He smiled. "I'm glad I came across you, Lady Exorcist…" he grabbed his arm as he got on two feet. He hissed slightly from his pain. He bit his lip as he continued. "The Order will be pleased to hear about you, even if you are just a child,"

I turned to face the man fully. "You need a doctor…" I stated, ignoring his words and focusing on his condition. He looked like he popped his arm out of its socket. It must have happened when I pushed him.

"I'll be fine," he said weakly. He took a step forwards only to stumble towards the ground. Reynaldo caught him before he could fall.

"Take it easy. We'll accompany you to town," Reynaldo had on a small smile. I walk over to his side and he looked at me from the corner of his eye. He looked forward as he steadied the man on his shoulder. "You sure are full of surprises, little Miss Priss. Come on, let's head to town,"

_**/O\**_

The black cat licked its paw as it watched the three puny humans hide like rats behind a light shield. With uninterested eyes, the feline noticed the shield shatter as the Akuma's bullets penetrated it. She was slightly pleased, for the level one following her would finally become a level two, and may even do her delicate nails for her.

She stood up on all fours from her spot on the branch, walking delicately to get a better view of the human's death, when unpleasant words reached her sensitive ears. "_Gale blade; south, southeast_!" a hiss involuntarily escaped her mouth. She turned away like a flash of lightning and began to run. Her feline body reached high speeds as she ran through the trees, jumping from branch to branch with such ease and grace that she seemed to be only a shadow racing against the wind. She jumped down from a tree, landing delicately on all four feet, and taking a bow towards the shadows.

"Ah, Lulubell! What a pleasant surprise! How is my little pet?" Lulubell's form changed from a small black cat into a beautiful woman. Her long black hair was held in a low ponytail, and her bangs framed her dark skinned face. She remained in a bow position.

"Lord Millennium," she spoke. The figure in front of her walked out from the shadows, revealing a large, plump man: if you could call him a man. His features seemed more demon like. With a large grin and pointed ears, he strolled out of the darkness with a since child-like play. He was in a long coat and top hat, and he was holding his umbrella, Lero, in his hands. He walked forwards and held Lulubell's chin in his hands.

"What's wrong, Lulubell?" The Millennium Earl's voice held slight worry. Lulubell looked her master directly in the eye.

"The child…" Lulubell muttered. Her voice had a slight tone of unease laced through it. It was easy to tell that this cold, unemotional woman had something bothering her.

The Earl clapped his hands together. "I love children! Sort of... What has a child gotten you so worked up over?"

"My Lord, I feel… uneasy," Lulubell admitted. She hissed below her breath, turning her face towards where she came from. "That child… she was an exorcist. She _radiated_ power…"

"A child that radiates power!" The Earl spun around on one foot, letting his arms swing around him as he did so. "Tyki! Come out here!"

Out from the shadows I appeared. My eyes noticed everything, studying both Lulubell and the Earl, but I still was able to keep a casual look about myself. I tugged at my gloves as I walked forwards, raising an eyebrow in question. "Yes, Lord Millennium?" I asked skeptically. The Earl motioned towards Lulubell.

"You heard what Lulubell said," The Millennium Earl almost sang. "Do you think this it's the same child you were worried about?" I gave a fake puzzled look as I pondered on how to react. I did not tell the Earl about the child; Waizuri intercepted me on my search for Allen. I knew that I couldn't think about my task at hand, but I couldn't stop myself from worrying about the child, and the vision I got because of said child. Waizuri mentioned it to the Earl, where I then claimed that I thought it was nothing more than my imagination playing with me.

Now, I found myself stumped. The Earl had asked me about the vision and how I reacted to it. To make it worse, he hasn't left my side and is basically forcing me to look for the child with him. I could lie, but how could I say anything on such an important matter to the Earl without Waizuri calling my bluff? I also knew it had to be connected to Allen. If it was, then I had to stop this at all cost. Or at least, keep it off track for as long as possible.

I tilted the hat on top of my head. "Lord Millennium, why is my vision of a child so important? It could have been a stray thought…"

"I'll take that as a yes~!" The Earl cooed as he waved Lero at me.

A small smile appeared on my face. He thought he was so clever. "My Lord, why is this of such an importance?"

The Millennium Earl gave a tisking sound. "Oh, Tyki, come now! Anything to bother you enough that Waizuri would report it to me… I must know if you are sound of mind,"

I gave the Earl what seemed like an earnest smile. _'What a terrible liar,_' I thought as I adjusted my weight to one foot. '_Like you actually give a damn about us…_'

The Earl came next to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "We must find this exorcist. If we kill this exorcist child, all will be well again~!"

I raised an eyebrow at his statement. "You think my envisioned child is an exorcist?" the way the Earl was going about it, I felt as if he was hiding something from me. Actually, I_ knew_ he was hiding something from me.

"No, my dear brother…" The Earl shook his head, never braking eye contact with me. "I know it is!"

_**/O\**_

"Tobi why did you even wonder off like that?" I asked my mischievous golem as I walked in front of Reynaldo and the man in tan. I grabbed Tobi from off my head and glared at him. "Did you fall straight into a trap? You need to be more careful!"

Tobi seemed to be frightened by my words. He flinched in my palm before flying away from me. I reacted up to grab him. I gasped as I just barely missed his tail. A smile appeared on my face. I jumped up, trying to capture my playful golem as he dodged my grasp. He began to fly ahead, and I took that as my queue to follow. I jumped onto a long rock, picking up my speed as I ran straight for Tobi. He dived down low just as the rock turning into a five foot cliff. I stopped before I ran off of it, staring down to see Tobi hiding at the base of the small cliff in a little ball. He was trying to blend into the ground, hoping that I wouldn't have noticed him. I glared. "That's not fair, Tobi! I would've jumped down and kept going straight while you would've turned around went completely the opposite direction… Hey, that's a good point, Tobi," I mused to myself as I jumped down to meet my small golem. "Wait…" I muttered as Tobi unraveled from being a ball. My eyebrows fumbled together. "Was all my playing with Timcanpy merely training?"

"Hey! Don't go too far ahead, stay where I can see you!"

"You certainly have an energetic Daughter, sir-"

"Well, she's not my daughter. She's my niece…. Niece, did you hear me? Let's go!"

I turned to the cliff as Tobi flew back onto my head. "Coming!" I cried. I felt completely embarrassed with myself. How could I let my childish side show so much? I completely forgot about the situation I was in. I took a deep breath before I jumped back up the cliff and ran back to the two men, who seemed to be waiting patiently for me.

I noticed the awkward silence as we continued on our way. We seem to walk for hours in the silence. Again and again I would forget to act proper; I would jump into the trees or play chase with Tobi, or even start singing my song. I hated those awkward moments where I would suddenly realize I was being watched intensively. I would put up my orange hood and pretend like I wasn't doing anything.

Those where the moments I hated the most. I know that I'm a child; that I'm supposed to act that way, but I couldn't shake away how immature it made me feel. I didn't care how young I was, I'm sure that I can be as smart, strong, or even polite as any grownup. Yet still I knew that being as smart and strong as I was… it wasn't completely natural. Jason had many books on science topics, and the way a child is supposed to think is completely different from an adult. I was childish and playful, sure, but it's almost crazy to see me reading a book that is even difficult for father to understand.

I knew I was no ordinary child.

After a while, I wondered where we were even going that could take us so long. I hadn't thought about my destination, only that we were going somewhere that Reynaldo needed to be. As we finally reached town, I was in complete and utter awe. Reynaldo chuckled at me. "Welcome to London, Alicia,"

The wide streets were busy as people and carriages passed by in a hurry. The shops were busy and pleasant, and the people were the same. I saw beautiful women walk by, with their hair up in delicate up dues and their dresses long and absolutely puffy. The men all wore their best clothes and hats, bowing respectfully at women or bartering with shop keepers. The buildings were beautiful and the climate was to die for… I found myself entranced by London's beauty.

"I can see Big Ben!" I cried as I pointed to the grand tower that overlooked a river that ran through London. Both Reynaldo and the man chuckled at me. I fumbled my eyes together. "What?"

"Big Ben is the giant bell inside the tower," the man in tan said. "The tower itself is not Big Ben,"

"Oh," I felt my cheeks grow red at my childish remark. We found our way to a small inn, where the man revealed a symbol to the innkeeper. In return, he gave us a free room. Reynaldo helped the man into the bed, and I sat on the chair next to the desk. Tobi fluttered out of my hood and settled himself on top of my head, his tail fell in front of my eyes, and I moved it out of the way as I stared towards the man in front of me.

"Sir, what was that symbol you showed the man?" I asked as I watched Reynaldo finish helping the man. Reynaldo seemed bothered by my sudden question.

"The Rose Cross," the man said, directing my attention to the symbol once again. The man reached for a wallet that he hid inside his tan coat. He flipped in open and revealed a badge to me. "The official symbol of the Black Order,"

I stared at the symbol with a look of awe. Now that I thought about it, it was the same symbol that was on father's uniform. Father's uniform had a red Rose Cross oh his chest, right above his heart. Mr. Lavi also had the red Rose Cross, but Mr. Timothy's was only a silver color. '_The Black Order..._' I thought as I watched the badge reflect light that came from the window. '_Father was part of the Black Order… and they're looking for him…'_

Reynaldo put a hand on my shoulder. "Well, we'll be on our way. Come along, niece," Reynaldo said quickly. I held a look of confusion on my face. Before I could get up, the man interjected.

"No, I know better. You," he pointed to me. "You are an accommodator. You have innocence, which means you're an apostle of God. We will need your help-"

"Spare this child your words," Reynaldo snapped. "You insist on sending a young child off to become a trained killer? Have some humanity! She saved your life-!"

"And she can very well save others-!"

"Spare me the nonsense!" Reynaldo's eyes looked wild. I felt completely frozen as I watched the two men argue. The electricity in the room was almost visible as the men stared at each other, both with menacing glares upon their faces.

The man lifted himself into a sitting position. He looked at me with serious eyes. "I'm a finder for the Black Order," the man talked directly to me. "I know you must be scared, but-"

"I'm not scared," I answered truthfully. A smile appeared on my face. "I'm just happy I could help you,"

"Listen," the finder seemed to ignore my words. That or he was trying to not let them affect him. He didn't meet my eyes as he talked. "The Order will take care of you, I promise. You were chosen by God to save the word from ruin-"

"Stop," Reynaldo snapped. His eyes held his menacing glare. "Stop the lies. I know it's a lie, you know it's a lie, and I will not let you take my niece so you can just…"

I thought Reynaldo was going to explode. He slowly raised his shaking hand up to his forehead, regaining his composer. I stood up, redirecting everyone's attention to me. I bowed to the finder. "Thank you, sir, for saving me earlier. I will be leaving now. You need to stay here and rest for a while, so please, don't burden yourself by coming after me," I grabbed Reynaldo's hand and led him out of the room. We walked into the busy streets hand in hand.

Reynaldo gave a heavy sigh, as if he had been holding his breath for a long time. "God…" He muttered. I let go of his hand and jumped onto the curve. Tobi flew ahead of me, maybe trying to play chase, but I grabbed his tail so that he knew not to go too far away. I stared at my feet, quietly humming my lullaby. Reynaldo seemed emotionless as he continued walking next to me, just as quiet as I was. The curve I walked on slightly rose as we came across a bridge. Before I knew it, I was walking on the side of the bridge, which was up to Reynaldo's waist. I held out my arms so I could find my center of balance as I skipped across the bride. I looked over to Reynaldo the same time he looked at me. He stopped walking, and I stopped with him. The air around us blew, trying to break the silence. Reynaldo gave a pained smile. "You have innocence," he stated. I nodded solemnly. Looked away from me. "Do you know what kind?"

"What do you mean?" I asked quietly. Reynaldo kicked a rock on the ground as he tried to find the words. I understood. How can you explain something of this significance to a small child? He looked up at me, his hat hiding the top of his eyes from my view. Even though I couldn't see his eyes, I could tell that in his eyes was a deep sadness. I knew my having innocence would cause problems.

"Well," he mumbled. "There is equipment and parasitic type… there is also crystal, but that is very rare…"

I felt as if I understood what he meant. I put my hand to my chest. "The light comes from in here," I muttered, cutting him off. He looked up to me, seeing me point to my chest. He looked down again.

"Inside of you?" I nodded. "That means… You have parasitic type… oh God," Reynaldo lifted his hand to his head, slipping his hand under his hat and gripping his hair. "Oh, God… why?" his eyes filled with tears that threatened to fall. "Parasitic type will drain your life energy. It's slowly killing you… and it's in your chest… so close to your heart…" I wrapped my arms around Reynaldo's head, bringing him into a hug. His hat fell off his head and drifted to the ground. He sobbed quietly as I quietly shushed him and petted his head. A smile appeared on my face.

"I bet I'm the strongest little girl you've ever met, Mr. Reynaldo," I felt his arms wrap around my figure and lift me into his grasp. I pulled away and saw him smiling behind his tears.

"You need to start calling me Uncle Rey!" he cried as he swung me around. I giggled as I hugged his neck close to me. I pulled away again, seeing his smiling face that held little rivers of tears on his cheeks. He gave me a smirk. "And yes, you are the strongest little girl I've ever met,"

_**/O\**_

People would turn, they would stare, they would whisper under their breaths… It was nothing new to him. For years he had obtained those reactions form the ungrateful civilians that had no clue that he was the reason they could sleep soundly at night. So what if his hair was white? So what if he had a scar over his eye and a pentacle on his forehead? So what if a strange golem followed him wherever he went? He had gotten used to it such a long time ago. Maybe it was because he finally realized that it didn't matter what they thought, or maybe it was to teach his daughter how to be comfortable in your own skin… An ironic lesson to teach when someone else lived in your self-conscious.

Allen tugged at the sleeve of his right arm. He had not grown much since his suit was tailored last, but the muscles in his arms had grown some. He looked at his left arm from the corner of his eye. The fabric there fitted around his arm in the most comfortable and realistic way. That was only to be expected, though. It was his left arm.

Allen looked at the town he found himself in. "I'm in Manchester," Allen smirked to himself. "I wonder how I got here, Timcanpy… oh wait, I remember. I was going to the Black Order," Allen stated thoughtfully to Timcanpy as he thought about how far he was from London. It might take a while to get where he wanted. Allen stuffed his hands into the pockets of his coat. "Might as well warn the Order of my intentions, right, Timcanpy?" Timcanpy fluttered next to Allen's head, seeming to almost nod at his statement. Allen slowly gave a menacing glare. "I will never forgive them. They were supposed to be family…"

Allen clenched his fists. His head faced towards the ground as his body began to tremble. He forced back his tears as he gritted his teeth. "But then again… they stopped treating me as family years ago..."

_**/O\**_

"_Alright, Walker, just because you've been promoted to general, doesn't mean you're off the hook," Allen nodded in agreement. He was fully capable of taking responsibly for his actions, even if the actions weren't his intentions, but of another's. He took the blame, though. Besides, it's not like they could wake up the Noah and chastise him, could they? Not that he had done anything wrong, they just didn't trust him. So Allen would nod in agreement, taking the blame for his other half that didn't even deserve blame. _

"_Here's your uniform. The new general's don't have much of a difference anymore. The symbol above the heart tells it all. It's basically a uniform that has been retailored. This one has the modifications around your left arm. When you use Crown Clown, it should be able to morph around your arm. When you use the sword, it should ball up close to your side. You know, that weird magic the lab rats call science,"_

_Allen took the uniform from Leverrier. "Who made it?" Allen asked as he inspected his new apparel. It didn't look much different, but the seal on his heart was distinctively different. It held the Order's Rose Cross in a bright red color. It also had small badges below the symbol, showing the rank. He felt the smooth exterior of his uniform, and noticed how the left sleeve felt different from the other fabric. _

"_Komui Lee and Bak Chan designed the sleeve. Your Johnny Gill designed the rest and made it," Leverrier seemed annoyed, as per usual. He seemed to want to do other work instead of having to give a piece of clothing to the 'potential threat'. Allen knew that by now he had wished to do away with Allen. He didn't think he would have to spend another month with him, much less six. _

_Leverrier's agitation pleased Allen slightly. Allen tried his best to hide his amusement. "I will wear it with pride," he murmured as he turned to leave. He stopped in front of the door, expecting his usual criticisms from Leverrier, but nothing came. He looked back to the man, who seemed totally engrossed in his paperwork, and walked away calmly._

_Allen walked quietly through the halls of the Black order, completely aware to the eyes that watched him as he passed. He heard the voices as he passed, fully aware of how they didn't even try to lower their voices._

"_I heard he's supposed to have been promoted to General,"_

"_What? Are they crazy? He's dangerous!"_

"_He didn't get an audience or anything, they just handed him that outfit and sent him on his way…"_

"_Dishonorable… I remember when we used to have parties to welcome people…"_

"_That seems so far away now…"_

"_That's right, it is far away. That was then, and this is now. Dangerous people who are not wanted __**do not**__ get a party for being promoted. They get parties for their funerals,"_

_Allen bit his lip as he tried to block out the harsh words of the people he should've been able to call his family. He wished this had never happened: That he had never become an exorcist or that Mana had killed him when he foolishly turned him into an Akuma. But at the same time, he was okay. He had his friends who were loyal; even if they were afraid in a small way, he knew he could trust them. He still had a small piece of home in the Black Order._

"_Hey," Link's voice reached Allen's ears before he knew of his presence. He turned to his right slightly to see Link walking beside him. He was reading an abundance of paperwork as he casually walked next to Allen. "We have a new mission planned for us already. I have… What's that?" Link asked as he looked at the uniform in Allen's hands. Allen looked down as well._

"_My new uniform: I've been promoted to general,"_

"_Oh," Link murmured. He looked back at his paperwork with a confused look on his face. He looked up with a dazed look. "Congratulations," _

"_Thanks," Allen murmured back with a small smile. His white hair fell in front of his eyes. Timcanpy ran into Allen's face, causing him to stop for a moment. He pulled at the golems cheeks before he settled the golem on his shoulders. "Hey, Tim, you missed my promotion…"_

_Link rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I'm sorry I wasn't there either…"_

"_Nobody was," Link gave Allen an incredulous look as Allen continued walking. Link shook his head and ran to catch up with Allen. _

"_Lenalee…?"_

"_Mission,"_

"_Lavi?" _

"_Chased after some girl before I could tell him,"_

"_Timothy?"_

"_On a training mission with the general…"_

"_Krory? Marie? Miranda?"_

"_Couldn't find them,"_

"_Dare I ask…? Kanda?"_

"_He didn't listen to what I had to say…" Allen murmured as he finally reached his room. He opened the door and walked in, finding his bed and collapsing on it. Timcanpy flew up and settled down on a pillow next to Allen. Allen moved his left arm over his face, hiding his eyes from the light. "I did try to ask," He murmured too low for Link to hear. He turned on his bed, facing away from the door._

_Link walked in and closed the door behind him. "How about people from the science department?"_

"_They looked so busy I didn't want to bother them," Allen sighed, lifting himself up on his elbows. He gave Link a small smile. "It's okay, Link. I'm fine. Don't worry about me,"_

"_I'm supposed to follow you everywhere, and I didn't even go. Do you realize how much of a jerk that makes me?" Link shook his head and threw his paperwork on his desk. "I'll make it up to you,"_

"_Oh! No, please! You don't have to," Link raised his hand to cut him off._

"_Anything. If you want me to leave you alone, I'll do it. If you want me to back off when you're with Lenalee, that's fine. If you want me to dress in a monkey suite and run around screaming 'I want NANA'S!'… Well, you better at least cover for me when Leverrier comes to kick my ass,"_

_Allen began to laugh so hard he rolled off his bed. Link smiled, and even began to chuckle as Allen held his sides and rolled on the ground. He composed himself long enough to take a sitting position on the ground. "Thanks, Link. I haven't laughed that hard in ages," Allen chuckled as he began to pick himself up. He whipped the tears from his eyes and gave Link a big smile. _

_Link was satisfied after that. He picked up his paperwork and flipped up a page. "We need to get ready for our next mission… It's not really dire, and we're not sure if there's innocence involved, but nonetheless, these people need protection. Or at least, their sick daughter does,"_

"_What's the claim?" Allen asked as he rose up from the floor. He grabbed his new uniform and made his way to his closest._

"_They claim that Akuma are attacking them for no apparent reason. We're looking for the innocence at the moment, but they won't let us fully search unless we give their daughter protection. That's where we come in," Link looked up from his clipboard to see Allen buttoning his coat. His scar was seen for only a split second, but the sight made Link's skin crawl. He had seen it many times, but he couldn't get over what it meant. _

_It meant that Allen really was dangerous under his polite exterior._

_Allen turned to Link with curiosity in his eyes. "So, we just need to watch a girl?" _

_Link was snapped back into reality. He nodded as a response to Allen. He looked down at his paperwork to break the eye contact. "Yes. They say the Akuma didn't start attacking until she got sick," Link reached for his coat that was on his desk chair. "They're only worried parents. We should be able to find the innocence in a short time. Once we find it, they'll all be safe,"_

"_What if their daughter is an accommodator?" Allen asked as he grabbed his bag and swung it over his shoulder. Timcanpy immediately flew to Allen's other shoulder. "Maybe she has the innocence,"_

"_Maybe that's why they want to send a general in the first place," Link smirked at Allen as he opened the door. _

_They walked down the hallway, with Link leading them to their destination. Allen watched his surroundings very carefully. He didn't want Lavi or anyone to see him wearing his general uniform and react like Link did. Of course, he knew his friends would react a hundred times worse than Link, but Link was embarrassing enough. _

_They found their way to the gate room, where Link talked with others on where and how would be the best way to get to the mission. Allen looked around steadily. His mind wondered on how the people around him thought of him. They all watched him warily as they passed; looking up from the paperwork or watching from the corner of their eyes. They didn't trust him. They thought he was dangerous. They thought he shouldn't be here. They thought he shouldn't be promoted…_

_Allen shook his head. __**'You've never cared about what people thought of you before…'**__ but even he knew that was a lie. He had always had a hood or hat to cover his white hair. He always hid his deformed arm form others. He was always polite and kind so that people would think approvingly of him. He was always trying to make people like him, always trying to fit in and be liked… Loved…_

_And when he first joined this wonderful Order, he finally felt like he fit in. He was part of a family. Now, the family that he was a part of looked at him as if he were a freak. __**'Will they try to throw me away like my parents did?**__' Allen shook the thought form his mind. He couldn't believe he thought such a thing. He knew his parent's had to of abandoned them because of his deformed arm. He didn't have love or companionship until he had met Mana. No child should ever have to go through that. Every child should be loved, and never abandoned. Allen shook his head. There was no way the Order could just get rid of him. Unless he did something wrong… which is what most of them were looking for._

"_Allen," Link called. Allen turned slightly to see Link waving him over. He walked up to him with a steady coolness. He didn't want anyone to see what he was thinking, so he collected himself and acted as if everything was fine. The people seemed to separate as he walked by them. His stomach began to churn as he took in their judging looks._

"_What's up?" Allen asked as got to Link. Link flipped another page on his clipboard, completely oblivious to Allen's stressed composer._

"_Looks like they're in Spain," Link muttered as he wrote something on his clipboard. "The closest Ark portal would be…" before Link could finish, footsteps where heard. Along with the footsteps, they heard a man asking for a code. Allen turned slightly before a smile erupted on his face._

"_Lenalee," he cooed as he watched the young woman walk away from the man calling for codes. She noticed Allen and with a wide smile and she ran towards him._

"_Allen!" she cried as she jumped into his arms. Allen caught her small frame easily. He was glad that he wasn't as short as he used to be. He was now a least a foot taller than Lenalee, so she seemed tiny to him now. She wrapped her arms around Allen's neck, pushing Timcanpy away and causing him to hover around their heads. She pulled away slightly to look into Allen's eyes. "I missed you so much," she cooed just before she brought her lips to his. Allen's eyes grew wide, but he didn't complain. He slowly closed his eyes and returned the kiss. She pulled away to see him blushing slightly._

"_Lenalee," Allen whined quietly, seeing all the skeptical eyes peering at them. "Not in front of so many people…"_

_Lenalee's laugh sounded like bells to Allen's ears. "Oh, lighten up, Allen," she kissed his cheek softly. "So, I'm back from a successful mission, want to go celebrate?"_

_Allen smiled. "I'd love to, but I have to go on another mission,"_

"_Oh," Lenalee gave a small pout. She looked down slightly, trying to look cute so Allen would feel bad (because girls really are evil like that), when she noticed the bright red insignia on Allen's chest. "Allen!" she cried as she delicately traced the symbol in awe. "You've…"_

_Allen gave a sad smile. "Yeah…" _

_Lenalee didn't know how to react after Allen gave her that sad smile. Link called over to Allen, revealing his impatience. Allen grabbed Lenalee's chin. "I should be back soon, okay?" Lenalee nodded. Allen kissed her forehead, then turned and followed Link through the Ark._

_**/O\**_

'_But now I have a new family' _Allen thought, a smile appearing on his hard face_. 'The people who found me… Mrs. Nancy, Jason, The Bottle's… everyone in Whispering Forest. They accepted me and Alicia without a second thought, not caring about appearance or any dangers that we could have been to them. They know what it means to be a real family. And now, everything I do is to protect my family. And right now, my only daughter needs me most…' _

Allen looked from behind a building that faced the Manchester town hall. Across from him was some rookie Exorcist, sitting in the shade eating their brunch. He had never seen them before, and they weren't paying attention to their surroundings. It was a boy and a girl. The boy had a sword hanging from around his waist. His hair was cut short and he had a dark persona about him. Allen smirked lightly. It was almost refreshing to see someone that resembled Kanda. Allen then thought of how strange it was to miss such a jerk, but refocused on the task at hand.

The girl might have been related to the boy, for she looked much like him, only that she had a small smile on her lips. Her hair was long and dark brown. Allen could see a bow and arrows thrown over her shoulders. She was sitting next to the boy, talking causally. They had to be rookies, and he was just about to make them famous.

Allen's eye noticed the two level two Akuma five minutes before the rookies would even realize that something was up. Allen pulled on his collar, feeling the pressure for the first time. He knew what he was about to do was risky, but he had to. He could have been caught by the Order and brought back, just like they would want. Allen didn't care: The order had to know that they pissed him off. Besides, they would be bringing him right to his daughter anyway. It could've been a win-win situation, but of course, Allen wouldn't simply let them win. Just as the Akuma positioned themselves behind the clueless Exorcist, Allen positioned himself in the shadows behind the building. '_Alicia, I'm coming for you!'_

"Innocence, activate!"

The Akuma sprang out of their human skin and dived for the two unsuspecting exorcist. They quickly activated their innocence, but neither of them would've been able to defend their selves before they were hit. Luckily, they wouldn't have to.

"Clown belt!" Allen called, swinging the belt out to stab an Akuma where its mask was. The Akuma shrieked as its form buckled and it collapsed in pain. It burst into ashes in seconds. The other level two Akuma next to it turned and shot towards were the belt originated, but Allen was already long gone from there. The Akuma hesitatively turned back to the two stunned Exorcist behind him. He growled and shot at them.

The two exorcists jumped away, and then attacked the Akuma. Both of their attacks missed, and the Akuma charged for the female exorcist. She jumped away, shooting another arrow towards the Akuma. It dodged and punched her face. She dropped her innocence and was pushed against the wall as the Akuma held its claws to her throat. She gasped as she felt its claws against her neck.

The male exorcist slashed at the Akuma. The Akuma growled as it dodged and kicked him in the gut. The male screeched as he was pushed across the street, hitting another wall. He sat up with a flinch. "Nisa!"

"Craine!" She cried as the Akuma made to slash at her. Her eyes closed and she flinched when she thought the attack would come, but nothing happened. She looked up to see the Akuma completely frozen in place, its face frozen in both shock and pain. Her eyes lowered to see a wide sword sticking out of the Akuma's chest. She followed the edge of the swords and her eyes became wide. The sword was not only in the Akuma, but it was in her as well. She let out a high pitched scream as she pushed at the sword that seemed to pierce her to the wall. The Akuma suddenly turned to ash, and she looked with wide eyes to see her attacker.

She saw a black and white masquerade mask covering a pale face. White hair framed the mask, and a deep red scare could be seen on his cheek. She saw a pure white coat flowing behind him majestically as the wind blew. She noticed he wore an exorcist uniform under his coat. She began to give out small shrieks as she pushed at his swords. A mischievous smirked appeared on his face. He pulled his sword out of her stomach, and the girl felt where the wound should have been. She gasped when nothing was there. She watched the man in front of her warily. She watched him turn from her, placing his sword close to where his left arm should have been. He turned back to her and waved with the left arm that she would've sworn wasn't there before. "See ya," he muttered before turning away, only to meet a blade at his neck.

"Who are you!" the boy cried, seemingly terrified at what he had just seen. His breath was heavy as he looked at the masked man. He got a smirk as his response.

"General Walker," The boy's eyes became wide. "Impossible? Not quite. Give the Order a message for me," He walked away with an air of superiority surrounding him. He stopped a few feet away from them. Allen slipped his hands into his pockets under his cape and turned to the boy. Timcanpy flew around Allen, caring a piece of innocence in his mouth. He showed it to Allen, who gave an approving nod, and then swallowed it whole. Allen turned back to the Exorcists. Even behind his mask, you could tell he was glaring. "Tell them… Tell _everyone_, I'm alive, I'm real, and they better watch their step… Because if even try to steal what is mine, I will _destroy _them,"

**Wow... you have no idea how many times I've changed these scenes! I'm glad I'm typing ahead, so I know when to come back and fix things. I have real Allen in here, so I hope everyone is happy!**

**Also, I would like to request more people to vote on my poll. I would just like at least two more voters before I end it next week. If you vote, I promise I'll update on time next week!**

**REVIEW AS A BIRTHDAY PRESENT FOR ME!**


	7. Chapter 7

**5,547 Words! I think that's great for such a hard chapter to write!**

**Big news! I finally got the courage to post my artwork as a profile pic… Check out my pic of Alicia with Tobimaru and Timcanpy!**

**Disclaimer: Nah, I don't take credit for DGM. I take credit for Alicia, Tobimaru, Reynaldo, and anyone else previously mentioned that do not belong to the owners of DGM.**

**Enjoy!**

Allen traveled southeast of Manchester, hoping to find his way to Nottingham. His head buzzed slightly as he made his way along the long road that would lead him there. He hadn't gotten any sleep, being that he and Timcanpy decided to not take any more chances and ditch Manchester as soon as possible. It had been a mostly peaceful trip, with only the sound of Timcanpy's angelic wings accompanying Allen's light footsteps.

The sound of heavy hooves brought Allen into a state of reality. He turned slightly, looking with weary eyes from behind his hood to see a carriage approaching from behind. Allen stuffed his hands into his pockets. Allen jerked his head slightly, informing Timcanpy to fly close in front of him so that the driver may not see him. Allen expected the driver to pass by without any commotion, probably not even slowing down as he passed.

But Allen noticed the hooves seem to slow down, and the carriage come to a stop next to him. He stopped walking and carefully watched from behind his hood, using his left arm to push Timcanpy to his far side. "Need a lift, stranger?" the voice seemed almost smug as it called out to Allen. Allen turned away, holding Timcanpy to his side like a ball.

"No, but thank you," He answered as he continued walking along. He heard the hooves trump on the ground again, but only at a slow, walking pace. The man was not leaving.

"Come on, I've got an empty coach!" The man cried as he kept the carriage's pace up with Allen's. Allen began to feel that this man was being bothersome. Was it too much to wish to be left alone? The voice began to mutter. "Besides, when's the last time I saw you… 10 months?" Allen stopped in his tracks with wide, bulging eyes. He turned sharply, facing the man in the carriage, and seeing him fully for the first time. It was a man in long, tan robes, and bandages wrapped around his mouth. Allen smiled widely.

"Toma!" Allen cried, jumping on to the carriage to give the man in tan a manly hug. "I can't believe I didn't recognize you-!"

"Hey, don't sweat it!" Toma called as he returned the man-hug. "I'm just glad to see you're not dead…"

"Yeah," Allen muttered lightly, pulling away from his comrade. "I was almost dead. A few times…"

Toma laughed at Allen's words. "But that goes for anyone who hunts Akuma," Timcanpy flew in front of Toma, attracting his attention. "Hey, Timcanpy!" Toma reached out and rubbed the large golem's cheek. "I thought I saw a yellow ball! Oh, hey…" Toma sat down, letting Timcanpy fly up to the top of the coach, and motioned for Allen to sit as well. "I was coming back from a mission in Blackpool. I took the train to Manchester, where I met up with Nisa and Craine," Toma raised an eyebrow at Allen. "Did you really reveal yourself?"

Allen sat next to Toma with a sigh, lowering his hood from his head. Toma whipped the reins and the horse began to trot. Allen gave a small smile to Toma as he leaned against the coach behind him. "Yeah, I did it,"

"Are you crazy?" Toma cried. "What happened to staying away from them as much as possible? What happened to keeping your distance?"

Allen closed his eyes for a moment. A glare suddenly replaced the calm, controlled look on his face. "They took her," He snarled. His fists clenched as he thought of his hatred for the order. How dare they take what he cared for most…?

"Took who?" Toma shook his head, not understanding the meaning of his words. "Allen, you known they couldn't have forgotten about your crimes- er, crime- this soon," Toma looked back to Allen, a look of worry on his face. "Even if they took someone you know, for whatever reason, it's too risky for you to get captured by the Order! Think of all the precious time we put into this…"

Allen gave a heavy sigh and ran his hands through his hair. "Yeah, I know that, Toma. It's just…"

"I know that I know a lot about you, but sometimes… I feel like I don't know anything," Toma admitted as he kept a steady hold on the reins. Allen gave a small smile, catching Toma off-guard.

"Yeah. You don't,"

Toma seemed distraught by his answer. Toma was Allen's go-to guy. If anyone knew anything about Allen, Toma would find out what they knew, and how much they knew about it. Allen had asked him to do so many years ago. It was Allen's way of knowing if they were looking for him or not. Toma sometimes found out things about Allen that he kept him from sleeping at night. He was sure he knew more about Allen than anyone else could. And to think that he probably wasn't even scraping the edge… It was a scary thought.

"You mind if I sleep in the back?" Allen asked, startling Toma out of his deep thoughts. He turned to Allen to see him jerking his thumb towards the coach, where the passengers would usually ride. "I had to basically run from Manchester because I thought they would follow me. Is it okay?"

Toma gave a small nod. "Sure, just don't wake up Nicki,"

Allen blinked at Toma. "Nicki? I thought you didn't have anyone with you,"

Toma gave a small smile. "Well, I'm not supposed to… Nicki is my daughter. I'm supposed to meet my wife in Oxford to drop her off. I was actually supposed to put her on a train with her grandmother there… but I would rather take her myself. I would hate for anything to happen to her while I wasn't there,"

Allen slowly blinked at Toma. He felt torn by his own emotions. He wanted to express his agreement with Toma, how he was always there when something big was happening with Alicia. He wanted to sit back and talk about his daughter, expressing his fears and doubts as well as his hopes and enjoyment. But at the same time, he knew he could speak of it. He knew that if he knew of her, it would put him in danger. It was not something he could do. Allen bit his lip slightly. He wanted to talk about it. He wanted to so badly, but he knew he couldn't. Allen steadily clamed himself before he spoke. "How… how old is she?"

"She's four and a half. But if you ask her she'll say ten. And if you argue with her, she'll change her mind to sixteen and claim that she can just move out…" Toma chuckled slightly as he reminisced upon his memories. "It broke my heart when she first said that, but I know she's only joking,"

Allen gave a small smile. He lifted up his hood to hide his eyes. "Really? How… cute," Allen couldn't stop himself from turning and moving the curtains that revealed the inside of the carriage. It tugged Allen's heart to see a young little girl with long, blonde, curly hair. She was lying down on the cousin of the seat, holding a small doll close to her chest. Allen smiled "Does she actually play with dolls?"

Toma nodded. "There's a whole box under her seat. And I wouldn't be surprised if she fell asleep playing with them,"

"Mine wont-" Allen's voice broke slightly. Toma raised an eyebrow as Allen cleared his throat and turned away from Toma. "I can't believe she'll play with dolls… I mean-!" Allen turned back to Toma, slight panic washing over him. "I know a little girl that thought she was too old for dolls at three! She wanted to learn how to read the medical books… I mean-!" Allen scratched the back of his head. Allen turned away from Toma. "I'm going to climb in the back. I promise I won't wake her, and I'll keep an eye out for Akuma. We should protect something as special as her,"

_**/O\**_

"_You sure this is all you can supply to protect my daughter?" The worried man in front of Link cried as he looked Allen up and down with the same judging look on his face as the people in the Order; Allen simply gave his same fake smile in return. Allen knew from the moment he walked into this gorgeous three story mansion in Spain that he would be treated this way. Smiling was all he could do to the Aristocrat that stood before him. The house radiated Royalty and money; things that Allen would usually try to avoid if he could. For all he knew, it could have been someone his master had owned money to. Or maybe it was because they were wealthy, and wealthy people looked down upon his kind. It was natural for Allen to have a high-tension staring contest with Aristocrats, such as this man. His lingering eye contact with the man was interrupted by Link waving his hands._

"_This is a General, sir," Link stressed the word as he motioned towards Allen. Allen secretly rolled his eyes as he continued. "Generals are the best we can offer! And General Walker will be more than enough to protect your daughter from any Akuma. And I assure you, I will be watching, too,"_

_The man did not seem to be convinced by Link's words. This tall, strong man with beady eyes had his nose stuck in the air, as if he were balancing a pencil there and wished for it not to fall. He seemed to carry an air of superiority about him. Allen knew how to deal with this man. He gave him a smile. "What is your name, sir?"_

_The man seemed taken aback by Allen's voice. It had been the first time Allen had spoken since he had arrived. The man gave an uncertain look. "I am Lord Alfonso Pena of Piedra Gris…" Peidra Gris; a medium size town south of Teruel. Its name means Grey Stone._

"_Your family must have a long history here, Lord Pena," Allen smiled. "The name Pena meaning 'dweller near a large stone'," Allen stated as politely and respectfully as he could muster. He could see the man loosening up at Allen's words. "I promise you, Lord Pena, that I will do my very best to protect your daughter from Akuma,"_

_The man, though captured entirely by the respect he received from Allen, clinched his fist. Allen noticed that his frustration seemed almost forced, as if he himself was fine. "Your best isn't good enough when it comes to my daughter…"_

"_I agree," The man looked to Allen with confusion in his eyes. He met Allen's serious stare. "I will do better than my best to protect your daughter,"_

"_Okay, Allen," Link muttered as he led the way through the halls. The walls were cream colored, all bright and inviting reds and oranges. Paintings of the families that have lived in this house before hung on the walls as for decoration. Small tables and seating arrangements were also placed every few meters apart. Link turned slightly so that he could face Allen, who was holding Timcanpy's tail so that he wouldn't fly away. "That was a great job convincing the father… now we just have to convince the girl that she won't be in danger anymore,"_

"_But who's to say she won't be?" Allen asked as he kept up with Link's fast pace. "We could be putting her in more danger… The Millennium Earl wants me, dead or alive,"_

"_Stop being so cynical," Link glared at Allen. "We are here to protect her and make her feel safe. Even if she is in danger, we have a job to do," _

_Allen gave a small smirk to Link. "Alright," he muttered, looking away as he walked through the halls. He could not be convinced, though. He was only putting everyone in more danger that he was worth. Just having the 14th Noah inside of him would cause its problems. Allen sighed, feeling defeated in all ways, when a small sound drifted to his ears. He stopped walking, letting Link continue without him, and he followed the sound to a cracked door. As he leaned his ear close to the cracked door, small notes of a piano were heard, though they held no real rhythm or sound in them. It seemed as if someone was testing the piano inside. Allen could hear a small voice humming, singing a song that seemed all too familiar to him. He peeked through the cracked door to see the source of the sounds._

_A small female figure tapped the keys on the piano, testing the sound against her quiet voice. She tested three different keys with three different sounds, and then tried to combine them in a row. A small amused smile appeared on Allen's face as the girl became frustrated and hit the keys forcibly with her fingers. She tried again, her voice becoming louder with her frustration. "Entonces como el chico durmió … el fuego en la ceniza sumerge el aire …" Allen blinked at her words, not completely sure of their meaning. Before he could muster up the courage to speak, the girl slammed her fists on the piano, screaming something in Spanish that Allen didn't catch. She then put her elbows on the keys, leaning her head into her hands as she did so. The next thing she said Allen could translate. "I'll never find music that dance with the words…"_

_Allen knocked on the door then, making the girl jump from the piano. Allen pushed the door open, so that the girl would be able to see him fully. "Hello, are you the daughter of Lord Pena?"_

_The girl turned to look at Allen, a skeptical stare on her face. "You mustn't be from around here if you don't know that," by the look on her face Allen knew that she meant no disrespect from her words, it was merely a statement. The girl was curious of Allen, since he did not know who she was. Allen gave a small, kind smile to the girl._

"_I am here because your father would like me to watch over you," Allen walked into the room casually. He noticed a railing that would force him to almost circle around the girl before meeting her at the end of the slope. He walked down the slope, Timcanpy resting on his shoulder and he noticed the girl in front of him looked more uncomfortable the closer he got. Allen made sure not to come too close to her. "May I ask your name?" He asked as he stood in front of her, keeping a certain distance away._

_The girl gave a small nod before she stood up. With a light curtsy, she spoke. "My name is Cilicia Pena, sir,"_

_Allen took on a full blush as the girl curtseyed to him. "Oh, please, you don't have to curtsy!" Allen cried as he waved his hands in front of his face. He scratched the back of his head. "Really, I'm not too important…" Allen couldn't remember the last time he was treated with such respect. He was cursed for one, which was apparent to all who understood the meaning of the pentacle on his forehead. For two, being an exorcist usually meant that danger followed you; nobody wanted to be put into danger. The other reasons were too much of a secret for anyone to know, but that didn't mean that people couldn't sense the evil that must have radiated off of him. _

_The girl looked up to Allen with a small smile. "But you are important, sir," she said, her smile as kind as could be. "I'm entrusting you with my life,"_

_Allen's blush increased as he looked at the girl in front of him. She had a slim figure, almost as tiny as Lenalee, if not tinier. She was definitely short, though. She seemed to barely reach his chest. He blinked at the girl in front of him. To be honest, he had thought he would be protecting a child, being that they were dealing with over-protective parents. As Allen got a better look at the girl, he noticed that she must be older than him. Not by much, but she had to be. She looked mostly young, though. She was definitely a teenager. _

_Allen, being an adolescent boy, couldn't help but notice the size of her breast. Allen himself was not totally engrossed in them, but his being found it nearly impossible not to notice. The way she held her arms in front of her made them impossible to ignore. They were large, but they seemed to go perfectly with her figure; she was proportional. _

_Allen shook his head, cursing his hormones for fuelling his thoughts. The girl's skin was beautifully kissed by the sun, as she was almost radiating. Her black hair was long, curving and curling against her body. Allen noticed that, even though her hair seemed to be pulled back and up a bit, it reached down her back, curving around her hips. As Allen looked to her face, he found he couldn't breathe as he stared into her dark blue eyes. _

_After staring into her eyes for a moment, Allen realized his rudeness. He quickly took a bow. "My name is Allen Walker, Lady Pena,"_

"_Please," she waved her hands in front of her. "Call me Cilicia,"_

"_Of course," Allen smiled as his tilted his head, some of his hair falling into his eyes. He stared back into the eyes of the young woman in front of him. "Lady Cilicia,"_

_Timcanpy flew from Allen's shoulders, causing the young woman to gasp. She reached out her hands to catch the golem. "Wow… and who might you be?"_

"_That's Timcanpy. He's my golem, and-"_

"_Allen! Where are you? Are you lost again?" Allen blinked suddenly, remembering how he had left Link before. He became flustered as he looked to Cilicia, and gave an apologetic smile as he ran to the door. _

"_Link?" Allen called out the door, his voice seeming to echo as it traveled down the hallway. Link appeared in front of him, looking none too pleased._

"_Do you realize we have limited access here?" Link growled as he scolded Allen. "We are to only accompany Lord Pena's daughter, and nowhere else! You are also not supposed to leave my sight, Walker! You are breaking these rules and in turn are-"_

"_Link," Allen interrupted as he motioned behind himself. "I present to you, Lady Cilicia," Allen motioned to the lovely Spanish girl holding Timcanpy, who looked towards them with big eyes filled with worry and curiosity. _

_Link blinked at the girl. "Oh," he muttered under his breath. Allen gave a triumphant smile as Link found himself completely embarrassed. After a moment, he followed Allen down the walkway and took a bow in front of her. "Good evening, Lady Cilicia. I am Howard Link, and I shall be an observer during the period of which we will protect you,"_

_A giggle escaped the girl's mouth. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Howard Link" Cilicia curtsied in return. _

_There was a knock on the door, where everyone turned to see a maid standing in the door way. She had a tray in her hands that had some syringes and small bottles of what seemed to be medicine. A tall Spanish man stood behind the maid, and he smiled once he noticed the company. "Ah, I see you've met the Exorcist and observer," the man behind the maid stated as the maid walked in the room. As the man walked in, Allen noticed with a churning stomach that this man was taller than him. He could tell by the way the man held himself that he was strong, and would have no problem taking on Allen. It had been a while since he had met somebody that looked like they could compete against him without the use of innocence, or being a Noah. It was a little unsettling… actually, very unsettling. "I haven't met them, though. Take your medicine, sister, and I shall talk to these men," _

_Cilicia forced a smile as she looked towards the maid. Even though she smiled, Allen could easily see the horror on her face. She gave a solemn nod before following the maid towards the back of the room with Timcanpy still in her arms._

_The man smiled sadly as he watched the maid escort Cilicia towards the back of the room. Allen swallowed the slight fear that erupted in his stomach and did what was polite. "Hello," Allen greeted as the man turned his attention cautiously over to him and Link. "It's nice to meet you. I'm-"_

"_Allen Walker. Howard Link," he said as he nodded to both men. He walked over to Allen and Link and glared down at them. "Don't they have women in the Black Order?"_

"_Um… yes…" Allen fidgeted under the pressure of the man's glare. He couldn't shake the feeling that the man had 'obsessive sister issues', or 'OSI', like they diagnosed chief Komui with._

"_Well…" the man muttered as he stared down at both men. Allen found that he wasn't breathing as the man lowered his head to Allen's level. "How are they?" The man asked with a wide grin as he nudged Allen's side. Allen nearly fell over from the shock. _

"_You're kidding, right?" Allen asked as he basically sweat dropped. The man laughed wholeheartedly._

"_I was only kidding when I acted serious, Walker," The man chuckled as he patted Allen on the back, which knocked the air right out of his lungs. "You should hook me up with an exorcist woman," The man wagged his eyebrows at Allen. Suddenly, the man looked towards Cilicia skeptically for a moment before leaning over to whisper to Allen. "Do me a favor… watch my sister carefully? Those Demons only go after her… "_

_Allen slowly nodded. "That's why I'm here," He muttered in return, feeling only slightly annoyed at the mood change._

_The maid came back with an empty tray and nodded to the strange man. The man nodded in return and turned away from Allen. "The name's Reynaldo," The man called behind him. "If my sister needs me, just ask for me. And by the way," Reynaldo stopped at the door way to grin at Allen and Link. "If you guys, for any reason, make my sister cry: You'll never see the light of day again. Later!" and Reynaldo left them there._

_A shiver ran down Allen's back. "Is it just me, or does that guy seem scarier than he looks…" Allen looked towards Link after saying such, only to see Link shivering and rubbing his shoulders as he nodded in agreement._

_Allen turned towards the back of the room, where Cilicia and the maid had gone. He saw a large round bed, almost completely hidden by curtains and sheers. Allen walked towards the bed, pulling back some curtains to see if Cilicia was there. She was, but Allen's chest throbbed at what she saw._

_The beautiful, smiling girl he had once seen was lying under the blankets of the bed. Her face was pale and twisted in pain as sweat beaded down her face. Timcanpy was close to her head, snuggling into her as a sign of comforting. Allen walked closer to the side so that he could stand closer to her. He thought he heard Link call his name as a warning, but Allen didn't listen. He sat on the bed next to Cilicia, carefully moving a lock of hair away from her face. "You didn't look sick before… but you do now…"_

_**/O\**_

The halls were busy with people from the science department running through the halls. The exorcist walked by them; either running to get to their objective or offering to help. I guess their eagerness to help was actually me rubbing off on them. I was beginning to be called the mother of the Order. Everyone took to my example, and I would chastise and consult everyone. Today, instead of delivering coffee or reporting for my next mission, I walked with my hands behind my back, casually making my way to Komui's office. I tried my best to hide what I was holding behind my back. I didn't want anyone to see.

I knocked on the door quickly, watching my surroundings carefully as I waited for a reply. "Come in," I heard the voice I was hoping for call. I opened the door and walked in quickly. Komui looked up from his paper to see me hurrying into his office. I closed the door behind me. "Dear Lenalee! How are you, my dear sister?"

I slammed down a file on his desk. "Read this!" I snapped. My brother was shocked by the harshness of my voice, but I just pointed to the file. He hesitatively picked up the file and flipped through it. His expression changed as he read the contents of the file. I took a deep breath before I spoke. "I overheard Reever talking to Nisa and Craine. I didn't hear what they were saying, but I noticed Reever almost drop the coffee I handed him. I got suspicious when he gave me a weary look, and knew I had to find out what they told him…"

Komui closed the file and placed it on his desk. "Lenalee, I know how this must make you feel…" I looked at my brother with sad and curious eyes. He tried his best to not look at me. Why wasn't he looking at me? What was he hiding? "But it could be a trick. You mustn't get your hopes up-"

"But it's him!" I cried, taking the file off his desk and flipping it open. I began to walk around his desk as I spoke. "'He was wearing a mask and a white coat. He fought with a sword that turned into his left arm, and he had a power that he referred to as 'Crown Belt.' From all the stories of legend we truly believe that this…'" I closed the file as I looked up to meet Komui's eyes. "'Is the General Allen Walker himself,'"

"Lenalee," Komui folded his hands together. "They've never seen Allen before, how can they be sure?"

"I can prove that too," I snapped as I opened the file again. "They say… 'He had white hair and he seemed to have a scar under his mask. He called himself General Walker-'"

"Lenalee, I read the report 10 minute ago!" I looked up to my brother in shook. His face look twisted in anger and frustration, but I could also see sorrow in my brother's eyes. "We… We came to a unanimous agreement… it's not him, Lenalee,"

My feelings began to escalate. I felt all the twisted feelings of sorrow and anger, the feelings that had been building up in me for nearly a decade, began to peek. I slammed the file on my brother's desk. "How do you explain the sword stabbing Nisa, and her not being affected at all? How do you explain that?"

Komui held a look of confusion. Disbelief was all over his face. "What…?"

I could swear I heard denial in Komui's one word. My heartbeat nearly stopped for a moment. I stood up straight, regaining my composer. "I called them back after I read the report. Nisa said she was afraid to report that part… she thought central would take her away to experiment on her," I felt a chill run along my arms. I wrapped my arms around myself. "I told her I didn't blame her…" Komui looked at me with complete shock. I turned away, rubbing my shoulders as I tried to fight back tears. "It has to be him," I whispered as a tear ran down my face. A smile appeared on my face, knowing that I couldn't stop myself from crying. My short hair hid my face as I looked down and cried silently. "I know it is…"

I heard Komui rise from his chair. He walked over and put his arms around me. "Shh, sweet sister," he cooed to me. I turned to Komui and cried into his chest. He rubbed my back silently for a moment, allowing me to cry the tears the needed to fall. He pushed me away slightly so he could look into my teary eyes. "Lenalee, the report doesn't say everything," He admitted. I found myself confused.

"What do you mean?" I asked my voice very quiet. Komui looked away from me. I felt myself become frustrated. Why was he keeping secrets from me? Why would he lie to me about the man I fell in love with? "What do you mean, Komui? Stop lying to me!"

Komui walked away from me and grabbed a book that was on his desk. Below the book was another file. He held it up to show me "I was working on this before you came in," He admitted before he opened it and read it. "'If it is in fact Allen Walker, Central agency will be the first to know. We will be sending Howard Link to intercept Nisa and Craine in the town they were attacked. There, he will begin his search…'"

A smile erupted on my face. "I'm going now," I cried. I made to leave when Komui grabbed my arm. I looked to him to see he had his head down. I couldn't see his eyes, but this time, I realized it wasn't because he was hiding something from me. He was worried; afraid of my reaction. He cleared his throat and continued reading.

"'There, he will begin his search for General Allen Walker, and also decipher the meaning of his message that seemed to be meant for all of the Black Order. _**Tell everyone; I'm alive, I'm real, and they better watch their step, because if they even try to steal what is mine, I will destroy them**_,'"

Komui released my arm and closed the file. He moved around his desk and slipped it into one of the draws. He sat down and began reading his paperwork again, as if I had never walked in. He never once met my eyes.

I clenched my fist. _'Allen…'_ my mind cried. _'What did we do to you now? What did the Order take to make you so mad… That you have finally revealed yourself?_' I brought my enclosed fist to my chest, reaching around to cup my ribs along my side. I knew what I had to do. I needed to find him. This could be my only chance. I had to know why he left… "I'm leaving now," I muttered almost too low to hear. I turned from Komui and placed my hand on the door knob.

"Where are you going, sweet sister?" Komui's voice was so sweet and so gentle that I couldn't look at him. I gripped the knob harder as I fought back my tears.

"Komui," I whimpered, letting a few tears escape my eyes. I had to tell him. I couldn't just hide it from him any longer. He had the right to know about me and Allen. "I loved him, Komui. I loved him with all my heart. He was my boyfriend, my lover. I kissed him, I… I made love with him," I turned around, facing my brother for what felt like the first time. "I never told you, but I did. Please, if you can tell me why he left, I won't chase after him now-"

Komui stood up abruptly from his chair. I flinch at the sudden movement from my brother. Komui looked at me with dark, wild eyes. "Get out!" he demanded. My heart stopped beating at his words.

"Brother…" I called, using the last of my breath. I couldn't breathe anymore. Komui looked pained. He grabbed the hat on his head and gritted his teeth. I swore I saw a tear fall from his eyes, but then he glared at me again. "Why are you still here? Get out! Get out you-!"

I didn't listen to him anymore. I could only run out of his office. The absolute rage in his eyes broke my heart into even tinier pieces. I ran as far as my legs could take me. The people I passed looked on with worried eyes, but I knew they wouldn't come after me. They acted like they cared, but they didn't. I knew they didn't. It's a sad thing when family wouldn't help you. A sad thing indeed. I felt as if my family had broken apart. My lover all but disappeared; my brother and I lost our bond; my friends that I considered my siblings seemed to grow apart as tensions of the war grew worse. My world seemed to be falling apart, and I couldn't understand why.

I felt as if it would all be better if I just died. Just like the poor soul that died 8 years ago.

**1)- The Spanish was Google translate**

**2)- Come on people, vote on my poll already! ^^**

**3)- Lenalee fan's, I hope this makes you happy and mad at the same time ;)**

**4)- Tons of Allen in this one, I hope you guys are happy about that! (man, this chapter is almost mostly flashback...)**

**5)- REVIEW! Tell me if you like this chapter, if you don't like, If you just wanna say 'Insert snappy comment here', or if you would like to comment on my profile pic!**

**P.S. tell me what you want more of! Tyki? Reynaldo? Komui? Lavi? Battle scenes? Humor? Romance?**

**Review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**7,176 words! Yay!**

**Sorry for the late updates. We had our state required tests last week… -_-'**

**Disclaimer: No, DGM does not belong to me. Alicia, Tobi, Reynaldo, and Cilicia do, so lay off! ^^**

**To those who want more humor****: Sorry, I find it hard to write humor when I'm trying to make a serious story. Maybe more humor next chapter!**

**Those who want Lavi:**** K, I'll bring him back. You'll just have to wait though.**

**Those who want Tyki****: Here you go ^^**

**Those who want Lenalee:**** Well, I can't leave her story untold, can I?**

**Those who want more flashbacks/Cilicia:**** One every chapter!**

**Those who wanted more battles/antagonist:**** Ya… I'm working on it. I put more in this chapter ^^**

**Those who want romance****: Always! ^^**

**Wow… long Intro. Anyway…**

**Enjoy the story!**

Akuma paint the world in blood. They take the blood from the innocent and then spread it across their crops, and water sources. They thrive off of human sorrow and suffering. It is what made me hate them… hate myself…

Ever since the day my friends died… and I killed them…

I stepped across a bloody field, flicking my hat out of my eyes so I could see. The sky was almost black with the threat of storms, and the air stuck to your skin like mud. As I continued on my way, I tried my best to casually step over the corpses of dead humans, among them some finders and an exorcist or two. I felt as if I was betraying my human side to kill creatures that only dreamed of peace. Of course, according to the members of my 'family', I don't have a human side anymore.

Family. I spat at the word. I wouldn't consider them to be my family if they were the last source of comfort on earth. A sick group of twelve Noah who find pleasure in destroying those weaker than themselves. I spat again. Despicable.

"Behold, Tyki!" the bold and hard to miss voice of the Millennium Earl rang in my right ear. "Soon, the whole world will look like this! A Masterpiece~ ^^"

I couldn't help but grunt. Masterpiece; it looked like a two year old spilled red paint on a green and brown canvas, then threw some twigs onto it. I couldn't find one beautiful sight in all of this misery. The grass was dead and almost every tree was destroyed. Blood pooled in every crater that was left from the battle. Hands of dead corpses were raised into the air, as if they were calling out to God in their final moments.

"Oh… what's wrong Tyki-tik!" The Earl whimpered in my direction. I snarled.

"Don't call me that," I snapped, stuffing my cane under my arm and turning away from him. across the way, an Akuma shrieked and yelled 'Die, Exorcist!' which was followed by the sound of an explosion, and the agonizing sound of one's last breath. I fought off the urge to shake. I must not show weakness… mustn't show weakness in the eyes of the enemy…

"Are you upset that we didn't find that girl here? Don't worry, Tyki-tabi, I'll kill that scary monstrosity for you!"

I grinded my teeth. _'No,'_ I screamed in my mind. _'No! I don't want her dead! She's a little girl… a human being! No… I just want you dead!'_ but I knew I couldn't say that to him. It was impossible. Such a thing can't happen here or now. It's only possible with the heart… only with the heart…

"Tyki," The Millennium Earl's voice changed to one of business. I looked to him with a calm expression, knowing that any other could get me killed. He continued to speak. "The time has come. We must kill the child. There is no doubt in my mind that she is a threat,"

I raised my eyebrow at the Earl. "A threat, my lord?" I asked. Genuine bewilderment washed over me. "It's just a girl… just a young, weak exorcist,"

"But that is where you are wrong. She is powerful," The Earl admitted, sending a ping of shock to me. If the Earl referred to her as powerful, then he could possibly set her on the same level as Allen. "I believe that we need to pay this girl a visit," The earl murmured, snapping me out of my puzzlement. I gasped.

"Lord Millennium!" I cried. "My lord, is this child such a danger to us…?"

"I'd be careful if I were you, Tyki," The millennium Earl gave me a wide, evil smile. "You're the one who will suffer the direst consequences if we do not kill this girl,"

_**/O\**_

My eyes opened for the fifth time that night. I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes sleepily as I tried to remember where I was. I realized I was in a hotel in London along with my uncle, Reynaldo Walker; a man who claims that he should be my father's brother-in-law. He had picked this luxury hotel out from all the others of London. I thought it strange that he would pick this place. It was large, of course, and overpriced for its cheap decorations. Although, the food was completely beyond amazing, and because of such I burnt a whole in Reynaldo's wallet. He didn't seem to mind, but it still guilt's me. This hotel also seemed to have a basement level, which Reynaldo pointed out to me. I remembered how Reynaldo told me that father had asked him to go around collecting innocence… is that why he chose this place? Does it have to do with innocence?

Tobi fluttered out from being a ball on my pillow. I smiled and rubbed his wings lightly. He woke up every time I did, and I think it was to make sure I was okay. I looked over to the bed next to me to see if Reynaldo was getting any better sleep than I was. I gasped to see that Reynaldo wasn't there.

Panic washed over me as I made to jump out of bed. I stopped in the middle of throwing the blankets away from me. "Oh…" I muttered to the completely disoriented Tobi. "He said he was going out… he'll be back later," I sighed as I remembered that. It was the fifth time I've done that tonight. I resettled myself under the blankets comfortably. "Why am I so jumpy?" I asked myself as I settled under the blankets again. A strange feeling of being watched washed over me. I closed my eyes and tried to ignore it. '_Where is uncle Rey?_' I thought as I shifted under the blankets further. Maybe he had gone somewhere to find innocence?

I found myself wondering what innocence looked like. Could it look like anything? Did it take many forms? I moved my hand to my chest. My innocence was inside of me. I had no clue what it looked like_. 'But Mr. Lavi said they turn innocence into weapons,_' I thought as I gave a light sigh. _'He had a hammer on his belt… was that his innocence?'_

A loud shattering caught my attention. My eyes snapped open and I threw the blankets away from me. As I stood up, my heart stopped. I saw my empty glass shattered on the floor. Behind the glass was the culprit. A small, hovering, black shadow stood in front of me. But it wasn't just a shadow. The figure in front of me took up mass, almost radiating a dark aura that spread across the room. I was frozen. The look on my face must have been complete terror. Its head split in two as it opened its jaws. It gave a deranged scream, and raced at me at full speed. I screamed and fell back, barely witnessing the shadow flying over my head and slamming into the wall. I heard a bang when it should have slammed into the wall, but when I turned around nothing was there, not even an impact mark.

My heart was beating a million times a second in my chest. I was frozen in place, afraid for the life of me. The same screeching scream reached my ears, followed by a scream from a woman. I stood and ran to the window. As I stared out into the night, I heard yet another scream. I turned around, looking at my black coat that hung on the wall. "Dare I-?" I asked myself, only to be cut off by another scream. My since of justice got a hold of me. I grabbed my coat off the wall and wrapped it around my body. I didn't care that I was only wearing a nightgown under my coat: This thing attacked me, and then went after unsuspecting citizens.

I had to do my job to protect the people. I have to, I'm an exorcist.

_**/O\**_

My Dark boots activated. I slammed down onto a baby-faced Akuma, instantly compacting it. The Akuma exploded, sending out blood and a type of my asthma into the air. I kicked the ground, kicking up the dust and air, sending the combination of blood and poison elsewhere. I sprinted down the alley I was in, jumped onto a building, and raced across London. It felt good to take out my frustration on an Akuma. I only wish it was the level three nightmare Akuma; it usually killed fifty people a night, and was possibly close to gaining another level on us.

I jumped off from the top of a building, into an alley way about ten blocks away. I somehow got outside the order a few hours ago: Actually, I was starting to wonder why I stayed there for so long. That place was filled with memories that used to bring me happiness, but now, as I look back into my mind see the face of the boy who I loved, only brings upon me sadness.

'_Why did he leave?_' I asked myself as my innocence deactivated. I began dragging myself down the alley, feeling almost lifeless. My dark boots deactivated, and I dragged my feet across the ground. Was it something I did? Was it because of Central? Could this all be a dream?

I slowly blinked, feeling a new light shine over me. I shook my head violently. "No…" I muttered under my breath. "No!" I cried, pulling at my hair and grinding my teeth in frustration. "What if… what if Allen… never existed?"

It was a rumor that spread across the Order after the 'Exorcist boom,' a flood of new exorcist that were discovered about a year after Allen disappeared. There were so many new people that I knew I had to stop feeling sorry for myself and help out around the order. Everyone was happy when I finally left my room for something other than a mission.

Of course, we who knew Allen would sometimes reminisce. People would be curious about the stories we shared about a boy who made things so much lighter around the order. We would tell stories every night at dinner, and we tried our best to stay in chronological order. As the stories became more details about him, people started disbelieving. Rumors spread that he wasn't real… was it true?

I shook my head. '_That can't be right!_' my mind cried. I began pacing and murmuring, wondering what I was thinking. '_Komui found him… central found him. He is real… Stop doubting it_!' But I realized that I wanted to believe it. I wanted to believe that Allen was never there. If he never existed, Komui wouldn't be mad at me. Lavi wouldn't be searching the globe for him, and maybe even come home. Krory would turn back to his normal, airheaded, lovable self. Miranda would stop her non-stop training to turn back time to before Allen disappeared. Kanda may even train in the open again…

I stopped and blinked. A smile appeared on my face as tears fell from my eyes. It would never be that easy… Allen has to be real. And if that is true, what do I do now? Should I go after Allen? Should I stay and confront my brother? Does my brother hate me now? Why did Allen leave…?

I gripped my hair as I began to cry. What else was I to do? I could only cry. I leaned against the wall for support, feeling as I was being shut down. I felt as if all my power was being drained away. I slid down the wall, feeling small and weak and useless, and I cried into my hands. Why was this happening? Why…?

I had hoped that Komui would have reacted better. I had hoped that he would've been excited with me, and send me to meet up with Link at the town where Nisa and Craine had seen Allen. I dreamed that he would still be there, and that I could see his face again. But of course, it was all a fairy tale. I should have known that my brother kept Allen a secret from me. I should have known that he wouldn't just tell me to run after the boy that broke my heart… but what I least expected was his reaction to Allen and I making love… It's not like I would be a virgin forever, and besides, I had hoped that Allen was the one…

But I guess I should've guessed his reaction better. It wasn't as if he would smile at me and say 'Congratulations! Now, let's go find him!' no, that would be too easy. My brother has OSI. Besides, when The Black Order found out that Allen had left, Komui was the only person who didn't seem to be disturbed by it. Komui didn't care about Allen… Hearing that he was my first lover must have angered him greatly.

I sobbed quietly into my palms. The air around me was cold and stiff, as if it were just trying to make everything worse for me. '_It's not the air's fault_,' I thought to myself. '_It's supposed to be cold, don't make the world your enemy…'_

"What's wrong, Miss?" I heard a voice standing in front of me. I jumped slightly at the voice. I tried to wipe my eyes, but the tears wouldn't let me see. "Don't pretend like you're not crying, I can already see those tears on your pretty face,"

I pouted, but that only made more tears fall. I hiccupped before I spoke. "I'm not trying to stop; I'm trying to see you…"

I could sense the person kneel down in front of me. "You look familiar, Miss," the male voice cooed as a hand came over to wipe my tears from my cheek. It made me feel uncomfortable. I gave a nervous smile.

"If I could see, I'd tell you if I knew you," as I said it I felt him stick a handkerchief in my hand. I used the handkerchief to dry my tears and a small smile came on my face. "Thank you…" I slowly opened my eyes to become face to face with a gorgeous man. He had tan skin and short black hair hidden under a hat. He gave me a crooked smile and I felt my heart skip a beat. I knew who he was. "Reynaldo?"

He smiled at first, but then a looked that seemed to be realization appeared on his face. He looked down, probably looking at my uniform. He looked back at my eyes with complete surprise on his face. "Lenalee?"

A smile appeared on my face. "Oh, Reynaldo!" I cried as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "How have you been? Have you been well? Oh, I just asked the same question twice…" I muttered nervously as I hugged the man in front of me. His form felt as strong as it did so many years before. A small smile appeared on my face and I held onto him. '_He was one of the last people to see Allen…'_

"Y-yeah. I've been great," Reynaldo returned my hug awkwardly. He pulled himself away and gave an awkward smile. "Trouble at home?"

I groaned. "You have no idea…" Reynaldo raised an eyebrow at me. I sighed. '_Of course he has an idea…_' "Well," I murmured. "There was a report that could lead to Allen's whereabouts…"

"They told _you_?" Reynaldo asked with a look of astonishment on his face. "I thought they would hide that kind of stuff from you,"

I frown at his words. "What's that supposed to mean?" I cried to the man in front of me.

Reynaldo held up his hands in innocence. "I didn't mean anything rude about it…"

I giggled. Yes, I guess they would try to keep things like that away from me. They wouldn't want me to freak out, like I kind of did. I smiled slightly before I gave a small sigh. "Apparently they hide these things from everyone," I muttered as I looked around the corner. There was no one in sight; the streets were completely empty. "He's revealed himself to some of our newer exorcist. He gave them a message… something about us stealing something that was his…"

"What did The Order do?" Reynaldo's voice seemed grave. I blinked my shock at him before I shook my head.

"As far as I can tell; Nothing. Maybe he's blaming us for something we didn't do…" I leaned against the wall behind me. Reynaldo put one hand into his pocket as he followed my lead, looking slightly perplexed by my words. I rubbed my foot against my leg as I contemplated whether to tell him or not. I looked at him from the corner of my eyes. He hadn't aged a bit. He was fit and handsome; actually, he was all around gorgeous. I smiled at the fond memory I had when I first met him. Allen was so shocked when he kissed my hand; he didn't know what to do. I decided to tell him, and I bit my lip before I spoke. "I told Komui that I slept with Allen," I breathed the words startlingly easily. It felt like a weight was lifted off my chest. I didn't even fumble when Reynaldo gave me a look of complete and total shock.

"What?" Reynaldo jumped slightly. "Why did you…?" as he fumbled, the hat on his head slipped off. It got caught on his ear and hung there as his mouth hung open wide. I found myself giving a giggling fit at the comical scene in front of me.

"I… I had to," I tried to calm my giggling down as I spoke. "He basically told me he had been lying to me forever… I felt like I had to tell him that I lied to him too," I tapped my toe on the ground as I tried to put a reason behind my actions. I leaned my head against the wall with a sigh. "I thought I regretted it… I tried to make a deal, exchange a reason for Allen leaving and I wouldn't try to chase him, But Komui just screamed at me to leave…"

"Komui…" Reynaldo muttered in shock. I nodded my head, as if I could answer his unasked questions. I looked back around the corner. I still didn't see anyone. I guess no one was looking for me.

I looked back to Reynaldo. He was the last person to see Allen, and I had to know… I had to know if he knew why Allen left. Or at least, I had to know one thing. "Reynaldo, was it because… Did Allen leave because I lost…?"

Reynaldo turned to face me with confusion in his eyes. He blinked at me, and a look of realization appeared on his face. "No!" Reynaldo screeched. "No, no! How could you even think that, Lenalee? Bedside's it wasn't your fault! You couldn't control fate! The Asian Branch was attacked- It could happen to anyone-!"

"But your sister was okay, even after your house was attacked! And Allen could have heard about it and-"

"And my sister died from it!" Reynaldo cried. I gasped, bringing my hand to my mouth. I looked away with eyes full of tears again. Reynaldo continued to speak. "At least you survived, Lenalee. And I promise you that Allen was glad you were okay,"

"Reynaldo…" I whimpered. I shook my head. "I thought… I thought your sister was alive. I thought you found her and she…"

I watched Reynaldo kick up dirt. "No… she's been dead for a while now,"

"I'm sorry," I murmured under my breath. Reynaldo chuckled lightly.

"Actually, I think she was happy. Don't worry about it, Lenalee. It's okay,"

I smiled lightly at Reynaldo's form. He was still leaning up to the wall next to me. I looked him up and down. I hadn't seen him since a few years ago, when I ran into him during a mission to collect innocence. In fact, if I remembered correctly, he had hidden some innocence in his boots. The Finder didn't notice, and I didn't report it (though I don't know why), but it always made me wonder what he was up to. I was seeing if he could be hiding anything right now, when I realized he was holding a shopping bag that belonged to a nearby clothing store. I raised my eyebrow at the bag. "Shopping for a girl, again, Rey?"

"Huh?" Reynaldo gave a clueless look to me. I simply giggled and pointed to the bag in his hand. He looked down and his eyes became wide. "Oh! This… this is actually for my date's niece…" he muttered quickly, as if he didn't want me to hear what he said. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You seem out of character today, Reynaldo," I mentioned as I tilted my head in worry. "I've been so caught up in my worries… What's wrong with you?"

Reynaldo fidgeted where he stood, reaching up to straighten his hat on his head. He scratched his arm as he muttered incoherent sentences. Finally, he gave me a bright smile. "You want to know the truth?" I nodded in response to his complete 'out of the moment' reaction. He held up the bag in front of him. "I have no idea if my niece will approve of these,"

"Oh," I hummed lightly. "Let me see them..." Reynaldo seemed relieved as he handed me the bag. Upon getting a closer look, I realized it was from a new shop in the center of town. Fancy place, but not especially for a guy who was at the age to settle down… I couldn't help but smirk towards him. "Seems like things with this girl must be serious if you are referring to her niece as your own,"

Reynaldo fidgeted noticeably. His face turned a dark shade of red as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Well, I'm just trying to like the kid. You know, in case she decides to run off in the middle of the night and ditch the kid with me…"

I frowned. "What a horrible thing to say,"

Reynaldo merely shrugged. "If it makes you feel any better, I think she's a sweet kid. I wouldn't mind raising her on my own, if that's what it comes to,"

A smile appeared on my face as I heard his voice turn gentle. "It does," I cooed at him, smiling sweetly, for his words touched my heart. There really is good-heartedness in the world. I reached into the bag and pulled out three outfits. One seemed overly pink, with flowers and hearts everywhere on it. It was a sundress that should go down to the knees of a ten year old child. It came with pink shoes and a sun shading hat. I shook my head. "It's winter, Reynaldo…"

Reynaldo shrugged. "Yeah, but she doesn't have enough pink for being a little girl,"

I giggled at Reynaldo's logic. The other two outfits seemed out of place to me. A black skirt and a pair of black pants that were both made of tough fabric. There were two leather coats, one was long and styled like a pianist coat, and the other seemed to stop where the waist should start. They both had fancy chains hanging around pockets or around the shoulders. The shirts were solid colors, one red and the other blue, and they seemed to have a light fabric to it. I looked back at Reynaldo with confusion in my eyes.

"Well?" Reynaldo asked.

"Well…" I trailed off. I couldn't see why he would buy clothes like these for a young girl. Reynaldo immediately gave an answer to my confusion.

"She likes to play rough. She can beat up all the boys in town, and she wanted me to buy her some clothes that would fit her personality. I translated that into 'More roughhousing clothes,'"

A giggle escaped my lips. "You'd make a great uncle, Reynaldo. I always thought you would… I hope you can make it with this girl,"

"She's my number one girl," Reynaldo smiled with a dreamy look on his face. I gently slipped the clothes back into the bag and handed it to Reynaldo. He really was a sweet guy. He was the type of guy that Komui would try to run off in a heartbeat…

A sigh escaped my lips. "Oh…" I groaned in horror. My eyes were wide as they stared at the ground. "I don't want to go home. I really, really don't," I looked back to Reynaldo with pleading eyes. "Please let me stay with you tonight,"

Reynaldo wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me to his side. "I'd always love to take a beautiful girl home with me," I smiled at his flirty tone of voice. Something in the back of my mind told me that I wouldn't mind being with this man, but the though was immediately ruled out as it appeared. I had to find Allen first. "Are you listening to me?" Reynaldo poked my nose with his gloved finger. I blinked in response and he continued to speak. "Like I said, I'd love to bring you with me, but my girl is over with me, and-"

"Oh, is your niece there, too?" a smug smile rested on my lips as Reynaldo shifted uncomfortably.

"Uh, yeah… Besides, I don't know how they would react to an exorcist. I mean, I'd rather not have to explain it to them now if they don't know…"

I nodded knowingly. "Yeah, I know…"

"But I was also going to say…" Reynaldo walked ahead of me, revealing himself on the other side of the street. I fidgeted slightly, hoping that nobody from the order would notice him. Being he was the last to see Allen, I was sure that someone would want to take him for questioning again. He turned to me with a knowing smile. "You should go back to your brother. Talk it out, I'll bet he's not as mad as he's acting to be,"

I bit my lip, not meeting his eyes. "Do you think so…?" I felt myself finally meeting his eyes with a dazed, confused look across my face.

Reynaldo sucked in a deep breath. He spoke in a strong voice. "I'd bet my lucky hat and a pack of cigs!"

I felt as if I should cry again. He was right; I needed to talk to Komui. I need to tell him that I don't regret anything. I don't regret my choices. I knew that if I could do it over, I would do it all the same. I gave a small smile and a giggle to Reynaldo. "Thank you. I think I just needed someone to tell me that,"

Reynaldo gave a crooked smile. He took off his hat and bowed to me. "Young Lady, I bid you farewell, and good luck on your travels. May your nights be filled with dreams of unconditional love and compassion on the many nights that await you," He stood up and placed his hat back on his head. "Your escort has arrived…"

I tilted my head in confusion. I heard footsteps behind me and turned around. I blinked at the figure that stood there. "Kanda?"

"Who were you talking to?" Kanda spat as he exited from the shadows. I turned back around only to find that Reynaldo had disappeared. I felt as if I had released a breath that was long overdue. Kanda grunted. "Whatever. Look, I don't know why you ran off, and I'm not gonna ask, but you better come back before Komui has my head for being gone too long…"

I turned back to Kanda with a small smile. "He sent you looking for me?"

Kanda gave a short nod. "Yeah. I was outside the room when you ran out. Komui sent me after you right after,"

A giggle escaped my lips. I walked by Kanda, nudging him as I passed. "Took you long enough to find me,"

"Che," Kanda snarled as he followed me back to the Black Order. I knew what I had to do. I was going to go back to my brother. We needed to have a long talk.

"Ahhhhhh!" a distant scream reached my ears and made me freeze in place. 'Oh no…' I thought as I turned to Kanda with wide eyes.

Kanda's eyes narrowed. "The Reaper," Kanda snarled as he met my eyes. We shared a short nod and ran towards the sound of the screams.

_**/O\**_

Reynaldo sighed as he tucked the shopping bag under his arm so that he could light a cigarette. "Such a sweet girl," Reynaldo mumbled with his cigarette in his mouth. He took a drag and blew the smoke away as he reached into his pocket to pull out a glowing gear. "Allen knew many sweet girls," Reynaldo smiled slightly, finding amusement in his words as he tossed the innocence into his shopping bag. "But he has only one number one girl. That would be our sweet Alicia, of course,"

Reynaldo took another drag. He sighed as he breathed the smoke out from his nose. A scream reached his ears and He smirked. "Opps, time to go! The Akuma has noticed!" Reynaldo quickened his pace as he found his way towards the hotel he left Alicia in. he smiled lightly.

Reynaldo reached a point where he knew it was safe to walk home. He sighed dreamily. "I remember… I remember the day when I knew. I remember the day when I realized that Allen was the guy who would make my sister happy," Reynaldo looked into the sky. The stars that night were as bright as any other night. He thought it to be comforting, the stars being as bright as they were. He chuckled to himself as he turned the corner, heading back to the hotel that he had left a sleeping little girl at. "Allen Walker. The answer to my prayers…"

_It had been about a week since Cilicia had taken her medication. Her skin had a glow to it again, and she could walk without a maid or Allen having to help her. Even after the effects of her medication wore off, she would usually spend her time in bed, or at the piano, trying to figure out the keys. _

_Allen found himself forever lying in a hammock on the other side of the room with Timcanpy on his head, wondering how long it would take for the Order to find the innocence. That is, if the innocence was there at all. It had been more peaceful here than anywhere Allen had been in a long time. He found himself growing accustomed to the peacefulness he felt by Lady Cilicia's side, for she seemed to ward off evil with her smile. Allen shook his head violently. '__**Don't think that way**__,' Allen warned himself as he glanced to Cilicia from the corner of his eye. '__**She's attractive and kind, but that doesn't mean I've fallen in love with her. I have my beautiful Lenalee waiting at home for me…**__'_

_Link would sit in a comfortable chair towards the middle of the room, reading a book or taking down notes. Link had informed Allen that every week he had to send a report out to Central to deliver their progress with the mission. It had been pretty peaceful… until Cilicia began smacking her fists on the piano keys. Link stood up abruptly, but found himself at a loss of what to do. Allen on the other hand jumped out of his hammock and when to her side. As he put his hands on her shoulders to steady her, she collapsed into his chest and began to cry. Allen gasped and began to shush her._

"_Please don't cry," Allen pleaded as he rubbed her back soothingly. He could feel her shutter under his touch. Allen held her tightly to him. "I really wouldn't want to see your brother mad…" Cilicia gave a small giggle, but it was drowned out by the sound of her tears. Allen, with a look of uneasiness on his face, sat next to her by the piano. "Want me to help you?" Allen asked as he played a few keys, finding the rhythm of the music instantly. Cilicia stopped crying immediately, looking at Allen with pleading eyes. She was obviously troubled._

"_Can you help me find the music to my song?" she asked, her voice breaking at her words. As she rubbed her eyes, she resembled a small child. Allen gave a small smile. _

"_Of course I can," Allen nodded as he played a few more notes, seeing that the sound of the piano calmed her down. A beautiful smile graced her plump lips. She closed her eyes to the sound of Allen's playing, feeling warmth inside her that she was not completely familiar with._

_As she opened her eyes, she looked forward almost mechanically. All the emotions that Allen had seen on her face dissipated. "You see, after I got sick…" she moved her fingers onto the piano and felt some keys that were in front of her. "I made a song to pass the time… and after I started taking medication, I've done nothing put try to match the words to music…" She looked back to Allen with eyes full of sorrow. Allen bit his lip; he did not like to see this girl so unhappy. She smiled sadly to Allen as she pressed down on a key, vibrating the sound across the room. "I know my song seems saddening, but it's actually a hidden love song. I had this vision… And I dream of singing this across Spain, spreading its lesson upon those who choose to love…"_

_Allen closed his eyes as he listened to Cilicia's voice. '__**It's all too familiar…**__' Allen thought as his eyes slowly opened. "I know it's none of my business," Allen began with hesitation in his voice. "But, maybe, you can translate the words for me?"_

_Cilicia gave Allen a small smile. "Sure. I can do that," she took a deep breath before she began to fill the air with her voice. "So as the boy fell to sleep… the fire in the ash engulfs the air. One by one, what rise and grow large are my beloved profiles. What trickle down to Earth are the thousands of dreams…"_

"_Stop," Allen muttered, his face paler than what was usual. He felt the keys that were under his gloved fingers, feeling uneasy at her words. __**'How... how could she know that song?**__' Allen felt his hands shaking. It wasn't possible that she could get it so close… was it? Link sat down in his chair, leaning forward, watching Allen more carefully than ever. He could sense the uneasiness that Allen was feeling, though he did not understand entirely. Timcanpy flew over and sat on top of the piano just so he could stare at Allen. Allen bit his lip, considering his options. '__**What could go wrong?**__' Allen thought with a sigh as he rubbed Timcanpy's cheek. He slowly smiled. "I'm going to play a song," he muttered as he turned to look at Cilicia slightly. "It's not the exact song; I'm going to mess up on purpose, but I'll teach it to you. Don't freak out if it's not the perfect song you imagined, okay?"_

_Cilicia smiled widely. "Thank you!" she wrapped her small arms around Allen's neck. Allen blushed at the contact. "Thank you, Allen Walker! I could kiss you-!"_

_Link interrupted with a small chuckle as he leaned back in his chair. "His girlfriend wouldn't like that very much,"_

_Cilicia loosened her tight grip on Allen's neck. She leaned away to look into Allen's eyes with shock. "O-oh…" She muttered before she let go completely. "I see…"_

_Allen refused to let an awkward silence take over. He turned to the piano with the blush still apparent on his face, and played the keys of the piano. He began striking the notes that he knew so well, missing a note on only spots that it wouldn't matter. Cilicia smiled before she opened her voice for the whole world to hear. Cilicia's voice rang in at the perfect spot, making Allen almost forget where he was. He remembered how it felt the first time he played this song; when he saved his friends in the ark. He played the notes subconsciously, having to actually focus in order to mess up._

_What Allen and Cilicia did not know was that their music was spreading throughout the halls of the large mansion. Everyone seemed to halter as the sounds drifted passed their ears like wind on a cool summer's day. As Cilicia sang, and Allen played, the sound seemed to merge into something more amazing, almost to an extent that seemed to be compelling everyone to cry. No one knew the reason as to why, but they did not question it._

_Reynaldo leaned against one of the walls with tears streaming down his face. He sobbed quietly as he listened to the meaningful words that drifted from his sister's lips. He grabbed his handkerchief and whipped away his tears. "You… finally found someone who could make your song complete," Reynaldo lifted his head up towards the ceiling, though the ceiling was not what he was gazing upon. "Thank you, God. You've answered my prayers,"_

Reynaldo opened the door that led him to his suite. He poked his head in playfully, wondering if Alicia had stayed up all night because she didn't want to sleep. Reynaldo dropped his bag as the first thing he noticed was the broken glass on the floor. There was only a little, but he could also tell there was some kicked under the nightstand next to Alicia's bed.

"Niece?" Reynaldo called, quickly finding his way to the child's bed. He pulled away the covers to find the bed empty, with pillow's stuffed under it to make it seem like someone was sleeping there. He backed away from the bed slowly. He felt a light wind tickle his face, and turned to see the window was wide open. The curtains were blowing along with the wind. "Niece!" Reynaldo cried, turning towards the wall where he had hung the girl's black coat.

It wasn't there.

_**/O\**_

I jumped across the rooftops of London. I did not know where I was going anymore. The screaming had stopped, and the figure seemed to completely disappear from existence. I would not be fooled, though. It was out there. I knew it was.

Tobi flew into my vision, attracting my attention. I stopped running, causing all my hair to fly into my face from the West winds. Tobi turned, motioning me towards an alleyway that was enclosed by shadows. I noticed two figures in the shadows, and I couldn't help but jump closer to get a better look.

I began to slowly walk across the edge of the building, my legs crouched and my arms held out to keep my balance. I felt almost catlike as I slowly followed the two figures away from the alley. I jumped across the alleyway, onto the Roof that was across from me. I watch carefully as the two figures walked along the road. They were heading straight for a large group of late night partiers, probably coming from a pub. I noticed how they immediately joined into the crowd. I kept a close eye on the two people that I was following, figuring that they were suspicious enough to follow this far. I couldn't stop the feeling that rushed through my blood. As I looked onto one of the figures, I found myself engulfed with pure hatred and furry. I felt my heartbeat begin to quicken as I began to pick up the pace. As I was in mid-jump to another building, I felt my eyes begin to burn. I grabbed onto the edge of the building as I cupped my eyes with my left hand. I pulled myself up all but gracefully as my eyes continued to burn. Just then, I heard the sound of screeching that I was searching for.

I didn't think twice. I jumped across the building and over to the main road, where the two figures had blended in with a crowd. The large crowd scattered, running and screaming for their lives as a large figure screeched into the faces of fearful, young women. The clothes of the other man I was watching were on the ground, surrounded by a pile of dust. I felt my heartbeat increase as I freefell towards the ground.

'_Innocence, Activate!' _

I jumped from midair and flew headfirst into the large figure. I gasped as I flew straight though, not harming it at all. I moved my legs under me and skidded to a stop as turned to face the monster in front of me. I glared at what I saw.

A large, bulky shadow, about ten times the size of the one that had sneaked into my room, turned to snap its ghastly jaws at me. I jumped back, finding my footing about a foot in the air. "What are you?" I cried, barely dodging another attempt at snapping at me.

The figure floated backwards, holding out its arms which revealed a ghostlike black coat. It screeched at me, making grab my ears and fall to the ground in the fetal position. The pain that surged though my body was unreal. It was like every bone in my body was shaking, about to collapse. In a desperate attempt to rid myself of this painful noise, I thrusted my arms forwards. "West wind!"

The figure's form fluttered slightly like a blade of grass on a cool day. I gasped at its small affect, knowing that I was sending winds that would blow a large man a few feet. It let out another screech, and I grasped at my ears again. I began pulling my ears, trying to refocus the pain to my outside instead of my inside. I began screaming as I collapsed to ground again, shaking and shivering in pain. I tried to look the monster in the eye. I knew that if I would die here, I would do it staring the creature in the eye. I was not afraid.

I looked up to the creatures face, seeing nothing but shredded skin and the remnants of what may have been a face. It widened its large jaws, sending a shockwave of sound that felt as if it was sucking the air out of me. I screamed again, looking into the sky with terror filled eyes. "Father, help me!"

~Veeeennn~

CLIFFHANGER!

**Honestly, this chapter kinda bored me (-o-) Until the end (^^) **

**Sometimes I forget that you guys don't know as much as I do… I say that because I'm writing this story on impulse, so when you ask a question that I just answered in my head a day or two before, I get all confused and stuff. **

**And I know the next chapter will confuse you. Greatly. Like, you're not gonna think it's the same story. You're gonna think I was writing a philosophy paper. ^^**

**And please… **

**Don't forget to review! **


	9. Chapter 9

**5,621! Sorry... Sorry... ... ..**

**Sorry for the late update! school is killing me... I'm so sorry!**

**Enjoy the story!**

The gears that turn in a clock all have their purpose. Each gear is required in order to make the clock work. Without them we couldn't tell time; a clock without gears is pointless.

And what are _we_ in this world? Are we all simply gears in a clock, destined to keep the world in perfect working order?

"_Yes_, I think we are. Everyone is a gear in the clock of humanity. It's true. An example: Have you ever wondered why nobody heard about the amazing thing that happened to you, but you hear all the gruesome details about the so called 'popular' people? It's because of your position in the clock. The popular people are the main gears which turn all the other gears in their place. You may be the gear a few rows down the chain, being turned by that popular gear. You take the information handed to you, and send it down the line. The gears do not turn backwards, so everyone ahead of you does not know your information.

"_But_ the clock maker, possibly God in a way of speaking, can tweak the clock to his liking. _Maybe this gear would fit better over here, and that one over there?_ We constantly shift and change, always being moved to a place that may fit us better, or may not fit us at all. We are his masterpiece, a clock made of millions of unique gears that turn in their own way.

"_And_ sometimes, the clock maker realizes that a gear is broken, old and worn, and has probably seen better days. He will take the gear, halting the turn of the many others that are behind it. But he will fill in the place with a new gear, fresh and new, straight from its birth. With that, the gears begin to turn again.

"_Of course_, sometimes he may drop a gear in the middle of tweaking his masterpiece. It will fall down, possibly hitting other gears along the way, stopping multiple chains of lives. The clock maker will be sad, knowing that the fallen and lost gears were ahead of their time. But he knows he must replace the gear, whether with a new gear or a gear from another chain. He must, or the chain will began to break down, and affect the turning of other gear chains.

"_Also_, some gears fall into just the right place to cause chaos. What if a gear falls from one line, but connects to another? It may halt the flow of the gears, or it can cause them to collapse. A disaster could happen, and the chain of gears could shift, affecting other chains and possibly destroying them. Or possibly a miracle; where a chain was about to collapse, and a gear got stuck in just the right place to prevent the destruction of a long line of gears.

"_However_, gears are made of metal, right? Metal can tarnish, rust, and erode; things that the clock maker will try to prevent. He may be able to fix a rusty gear, but even after he cleans the rust, the rust can always reappear, and finish what had started.

"_Why_ would the clock maker build a clock, and then leave it alone? After a while, an old clock will eventually wear down, and break. And if that happens, then that would mean we would have no purpose. No, he is always watching, always improving, and is trying his best to make sure his masterpiece survives.

"He cannot save all the gears in the clock. And sometimes, the gears are out of his reach and control. And some gears may be on a path of destuctoin and chaos that the clock maker is helpless in preventing.

"_**Father, is that why those exorcist exist now?"**_

~Veeeiinn~

A rotating gear appeared before my eyes. I blinked, turning my head slightly and watching the gear move. It didn't linger on one eye, it moved to whichever eye was focused on the creature in front of me. As I noticed that, I also noticed that above the elusive black creature was the outline of a beautiful woman. The woman turned, and my eyes grew wide as I saw that her face was nothing more than skin draped over bones. She cried towards me, holding out her chained arm in a sign of pleading. I slowly lifted my hand, raising it towards the woman. Tears seemed to fall from her eye sockets as I did so.

But the chains that held onto her arm jerked down, and the woman cried in agony as the black ghost creature screamed at me again. I cringed as the sound rattled my brain. My right arm refused to leave my side to protect my ear from the sound. I felt my chest start to burn as I glared back to the ghost. "Let her go…" I muttered against the sound of the screech. Tears filled my eyes as I held my arm in front of my face, felling the cool wind that followed the curve of my Gale Blade tickle my face. "Let the lady go!"

I propelled myself forward with such force that I appeared 50 feet down the road from where I was. My arm was stretched outwards, revealing that it had moved as I did. "West wind," I whispered, barely moving the air with my words. I turned my head to see the ghost frozen in its place, staring down to where I once was. The gear appeared in front of my eye just as I heard the sound of shattering metal. The ghostly figure screeched before evaporating into nothing. The woman I saw, who was in such pain and agony that my heart nearly stopped beating before, was released from her chains. Her face had features again, and she was now crying with a smile on her beautiful lips. My eyes grew wide, and I held my arm that my Gale Blade focused on towards the sky. She held her arm out, touching the tip of my invisible blade. "_Thank you,_" She whispered before she disappeared completely from existence.

I lowered my arm as my innocence deactivated. I lowered my head, tears appearing on my cheeks. A shiver shot through my spine. _'Mr. Lavi…'_ I thought as I clenched my fists. '_You were telling the truth… Innocent souls get trapped into the body of an Akuma. They are completely helpless, and have no control over their actions… I guess I had to learn it the hard way…' _the Image of the beautiful woman haunted the back of my mind. Every Akuma was tortured like that… I just couldn't imagine such a thing.

I closed my eyes forcefully before I opened them again. The peculiar rotating gear appeared before my eyes again, revealing small red orbs floating in the corners. '_What is this?_' I thought as I reached up to touch my cheek. The image of the beautiful woman appeared in my mind once again, and I shook my head vigorously to clear the image form my head. As I shook my head, the gear vanished, and I was left in my tears again.

Tobi slightly attracted my attention as he slipped his tail around my neck, then wrapping his tail around the base of his tail as he folded in his wings. He hung from my neck, and as I brought my hand up to touch him, a voice reached my ears. "Are you okay?" an exasperated female voice called to me. I looked up with tearful eyes to see a woman with short green hair look over me worriedly. "Are you okay, little girl?" her delicate hand whipped across my forehead. She quickly whipped away my tears with a look of concern that… that I only dreamed a mother would give. I barely managed a small smile.

"I'm fine…" I muttered my lie to the woman in front of me. She gave me a calm smile, as if she understood my pain. That look made me a little angry; how could she know how I felt? How could she possibly understand what it was like to see actual tortured souls… but I only let tears fall from my eyes… I couldn't do anything else. I felt dead. I felt… cold…

"Where's the Akuma?" a harsh voice called from behind the girl. She turned and glared at him for his bluntness.

"Hush!" She snapped. The man behind her huffed as he turned away. The girl gave me another sweet smile. "Please, stop crying. Tell me your name,"

I sniffed, rubbing my sleeve against my eyes. "Alicia," I muttered as quietly as I could.

"Last name?" I shook my head in response. The girl nodded slowly. "My name is Lenalee Lee…"

"I found it," the male's voice was heard again. Lenalee turned around quickly, taking a defensive stance. Her stance faltered as the man kicked up the Akuma's dust.

She turned back to me with confusion in her eyes. She kneeled back to my level. "Listen… That monster won't come back for you now. If you tell me where you live, I can take you home. Is that okay?"

"Home…?" On my face was pain and confusion. What did she mean, home? Home was with Jason, and Mrs. Nancy… home was my small house that father built, in the middle of Whispering Forest. Home was where I grew up, and learned to read and write… Home sounded wonderful. A place where you will always be accepted… But how could they accept something like me. I was an abomination. I could see… _Ghosts_. I had _innocence._ I was slowly _dying_. I burst into more tears as I collapsed to my knees. "No… No! I can't go home. They won't want me!"

"What?" Lenalee cried. She put her hands on my shoulders. "How could they not want you?"

I ignored her words. My lips quivered, my stomach twisted into a knot. I blubbered, spilling my tears and snot all over my face. "They won't love me anymore! Only father…" I choked on my tears. "I want my father! Father will understand! I have to find father… D-Daddy!" I pulled at my hair as I fell into Lenalee's lap. She seemed to fidget below me, unsure of how to comfort me. She finally wrapped her arms around me, hugging me as I cried into her form. She was so warm to me. It felt good to cry. It was strange and relaxing at the same time.

My eyes slowly began to close. I didn't know why I felt this comfortable, but I didn't fight it. I was just going to close my eyes, and fall asleep.

_**/O\**_

"T'is is Ello!" a little girl held a small kitty doll. Its fur was brown, and it had white mittens and a pink nose. "'e's a boy! Not a stinky boy, but a gentweman! 'e's in wove wit' snow!" The little girl held up another kitty doll. It had white fur, brown mittens, and a black nose. "T'ey 'ave been toget'a since the beginin' of time! T'ey 'ate bein' apawt, and it's my job to keep t'em toget'a foweva!"

Allen watched with a large smile as the blonde little girl in front of him hugged her dolls close to her chest. She squeezed them so hard she lost all her breath and had to wait two _whole seconds_ before talking again. Nicki was an adorable, little, talkative girl, who loved nothing more than her dolls, and the sweets she found in Allen's pockets. She would smile up at Allen, showing the cute gaps between her baby teeth that, on more than one action, made Allen cry "Aww!"

Toma would pull back the curtains every once in a while, checking to see if Allen and Nicki were okay. He would always end up smiling and leaving them be. Allen, at one point, reached out to pick up one of Nicki's dolls, and she began crying as she screamed. "No, no! You'w messes up evewyt'ang!"

Allen would patiently watch Nicki announce what her dolls were saying and what they were doing. She would always laugh and give her toothy grin to Allen when she thought what she said was funny. Allen constantly thought about his daughter, remembering how she only played dolls with him once before she got bored and moved on. He remembered it perfectly.

'_Would you like to come over for some tea, Lady Buttercup?' _

'_No, I think I want to go swim at the river in my birthday suit. Will you come, father?' _

'_Alicia! I'm not 'father' in this game, I'm Sir Paddlefish III, and you're Lady Buttercup! And move the dolls when you talk!' _

'_Father, you're weird.' _

'_I'm Sir Paddlefish III!'_

"Mr. Wawker!" Nicki's cry snapped Allen away from his memory. He blinked at a small figure that Nicki was holding out. "I want ya to 'ave Izzay!"

Allen blinked at Nicki before he held out his hands. She placed a small wooden figure in his hands. A smile appeared on his face. "Thank you, Miss Nicki,"

Nicki beamed. "I t'ink Izzay wooks a wot wike ya, so I want ya to 'ave Izzay!"

Allen looked down at the small figure again. He couldn't see a resemblance in the small wooden figure, but he smiled nonetheless. "I thank you for your kindness. He certainly is well made-"

Nicki held her sides as she laughed dramatically. She shook her head at Allen. "Nooooooooo, Mr. Wawker! Izzay is a girw! 'er name is Izabewwa!"

Allen's eyes were wide, and mouth was a thin line. He blinked at Nicki, unsure of how to react. Laughter was heard outside the coach, to which Allen knew belonged to Toma. He had heard every word. The curtains in the front of the coach were pulled back. "Okay, _silly people_," Toma chuckled almost uncontrollably. He finally calmed down enough to speak. "We're in Northampton. We're about to go through a Black Order checkpoint. You should either hide or run off now,"

Allen stood up. "I think it's time to go. Thanks for the ride," Allen turned to Nicki with a small smile. "I enjoyed the time I got to spend with you, Miss Nicki. I hope we can play again someday,"

Nicki began bouncing in her seat with glee. "Ya! I'w cwear a spot in my room at 'ome, and we can pway wit' dow's aw day!"

Allen chuckled as he pulled his hood over his head. He opened the door, jumping out quickly into the night air with Timcanpy following from behind. A goodbye too long would get him caught, but he did wish he could've stayed just a bit longer.

Allen easily evaded the weakly supported checkpoint set up by the Black Order. They were made specifically for him, yet they had no chance of ever catching him. Allen slipped his hands into his pockets as he made his way down a narrow alley. "Almost to London, Timcanpy-" Allen suddenly leaned against the wall, pushing Timcanpy behind him. A group of men in tan past by the alley quickly. Allen smirked as they passed and continued on his way, but Timcanpy tugged at Allen's hood, causing Allen to stop and blink. "Tim?"

Timcanpy flew in front of Allen's face and opened his mouth. Allen looked into Timcanpy's jaws and sighed heavily. "Any other day… Any other day would be better…" Allen ran his hands threw his hair and huffed. "Fine. Take me to meet him, Tim,"

Timcanpy carefully weaved his way through tight alleys, keeping out of sight from the order as well as any civilian. He led Allen to a back entrance to a pub. Allen shook his head before slamming his fist onto the door. A few moments later, an eye hole popped open. "What's the password?"

Allen raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Who needs a password when you've got money?" Allen asked as he waved a handful of money in front of the eye hole. The eye staring at Allen's got wide, and the door quickly opened.

"Your business is always welcome here, sir. May I get you anything special?"

"Thanks," Allen smirked, the power immediately going to his head as he strolled in. "Get me a light beer... and about twenty orders of Mitarashi Dango. If you don't have any I'll pay extra- Oh! I'm looking for a friend…"

"Ah, Allen! Over here!"

/O\

_It was half a week after Allen and Cilicia made music together. Cilicia was on her second day of medication, and had found herself bed written once again. Allen noticed how, this time, she acted differently in reaction to the meds. Last time she had found herself unable to move, with pale skin and dead eyes, she could not communicate to Allen. But as of now, she was completely able to tell them how much it hurt. In her words, it was like 'setting a baby on fire and then stomping on it to put it out.' Allen was disturbed by her description, but it seemed pretty dead on after Allen told her to squeeze his hand whenever the pain was unbearable; she never stopped squeezing._

_As she lay in her bed, whimpering in pain and squeezing Allen's hand, Allen laid on the bed next to her. He told Cilicia that she would not be alone for the next two days that she was advised for bed rest. He would sit next to her, distracting her with stories of his past missions. Most of the stories he told were from before he obtained Crown Clown; in fact, he tried his best to hide how his arm was deformed, and could change into Anti-Akuma weapons. He mostly just talked about the Akuma, the innocence, or the people he met. He especially kept his left eye's ability, and how he obtained it, a secret from her. _

_And when he ran out of stories, he found himself playing with her long black hair, feeling its softness and witnessing its natural blue shine. As he did such, he noticed how her breathing would slow down and become even, as if she had fallen asleep. Allen then curiously brushed her hair out of her sweating face so that he could study her features. Her eyes slowly opened, and they made eye contact at that moment. Allen found himself lost in her deep blue eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but Cilicia spoke for him._

"_You have amazing eyes," Cilicia gave a small weak smile, her breath suddenly turning uneven again. Allen gave a nervous, crooked smile._

"_I don't remember what they used to look like…"_

"_What do you mean?" Cilicia asked, a strained puzzled look appearing on her face. She looked into Allen's pale blue eyes again. "They almost look silver," she cooed as she leaned her head against Allen's shoulders. She could feel how tense Allen was as she laid her head there. She slowly closed her eyes. "You don't have to tell me," she muttered as she moved herself closer to Allen, wincing only slightly from the pain. "But I'd like to know all I can about my protector,"_

_Allen bit his lip. "Yeah, but who knows how long I'll be here?" _

_Cilicia turned sharply, wincing at the pain she got from the sudden movement. "Wait, even after your mission is complete, you'll come visit… right?" Allen blinked at the panic that laced Cilicia's voice. He placed his gloved left hand on her arm and rubbed it lightly._

"_You don't need to worry, Lady Cilicia," Allen gave her a small smile as he traced the length of her arm. He wished that he could feel her skin, but he knew better than to do such: Especially with his left hand. He sighed as he hid his face into her hair. "I'll visit you. I promise,"_

"_Good," She muttered as she laid her head against his chest. "Good, because... You're the first real friend I've ever had,"_

_Allen rubbed Cilicia's shoulder lightly, smiling at the sound of her breath becoming even again. He looked at his hand from behind her hair. __**'Why do I have to be deformed?'**__ Allen thought with a small sigh. He breathed in the aroma from Cilicia's hair, subconsciously recognizing the scent of peaches. He looked back at his hand, this time with a smile. __**'Cilicia would be the type of person not to care. She's… She's my friend…'**__ Allen's smile turned sad, though he did not know why. __**'She's my friend…'**_

_The sound of the door opening made Allen move away from Cilicia and sit in an upright position. He didn't know why he did it; maybe it was because being so close to Cilicia made him have an unclear conscience. But Allen smiled as he noticed that Cilicia still didn't let go of his hand, though the grip was not as constrict as before. __**'She must be feeling better'**_

_Into the room walked Link, followed by a maid. The maid made a curtsy towards Allen. "It's time for my lady's bath," She said, awaiting Allen's response. Allen's eyes flashed across the room, and he smiled as he noticed the clock. '__**Right on time, like every other day,'**__ Allen thought with a smile as he nudged Cilicia's side playfully._

"_Hey, Cilicia," he muttered towards her. She made a whimpering sound, but Allen merely smirked in return. "You have to go bathe… come on, you stink!"_

_Cilicia's eyes snapped open. "I do not!" she screeched, her voice becoming as weak as her body. Nonetheless, with a full blush on her face already flustered face, she let go of Allen's hand, forcibly threw the blankets away from her, and stumbled to the maid without complaining. Allen chuckled as she slammed the door behind her._

"_And I'll never hear the end of that," Link complained as he straightened the papers in front of him. He gave a light sigh. "I think I miss the blood and gore of battles… how about you?"_

_Allen thought for a moment. What did he miss after two and a half weeks of nothing but peacefully watching a sickly girl? Did he miss the action that came with being on the battlefield, with blood and guts, pain and suffering? Or maybe he missed the hostile stares he obtained from just about everyone at HQ? No, he found that he was quite comfortable where he was at. He barely even missed his friends, to tell the truth. They would always seem to remind him that he wasn't like them, though they did not mean to. But as he thought on about the question that was pushed before him, he knew he would have to answer. A smile appeared on his face as he slowly realized there was something that he missed. Or better yet, someone. "I think I miss Lenalee…"_

"_Ah, I shouldn't have asked," Link smirked towards Allen slyly. Allen rolled his eyes in return, finding that he really shouldn't have asked in the first place. Link gave a small chuckle. "You and Lenalee are pretty serious, aren't you?"_

_Allen smiled slightly. "Yeah, you could say that…"_

"_With the rumors going around, I'm sure the seriousness of the matter is close to the __**'pitter patter of little feet'**__, if you aren't careful," Link grinned as Allen's face turned completely red, and his only reply being a flustered '__**shut up!**__' Link was probably one of the last to know, and certainly the last to ask about it, but Allen couldn't get over how embarrassing it was for someone to confront him on the subject. Yes, he and Lenalee had gone that far, but he was not going to tell details and express feelings. He refused. _

"_Allen looks red, are you guys talking about me?" Allen's eyes flashed up to see a petit figure standing in the doorway. Allen stood up suddenly._

"_Lena-!" Before he could finish, Lenalee had found her way into Allen's arms. He held her tightly to him, realizing just how much he missed her loving embrace. She pulled away to look him in the eye. "How's the mission going?"_

"_Boring," Link cut in, leaning back in the chair that he basically claimed as his. _

"_Link," Allen's voice seemed almost like a warning. He looked to Lenalee with a smile. "Everything has been quiet and peaceful, as far as we're concerned,"_

_Link leaned forwards from his chair. "I bet yours has been more fascinating!" Link called with false enthusiasm. Allen chuckled slightly to see Link in a strangely good mood._

"_Well, that's kind of why I'm here…" Lenalee admitted as she broke away from Allen's grasp. Allen looked curiously at her as she continued. "I was told to report to you that Road had been seen in a town not too far from here…" Allen's curious expression was replaced with that of anger. Road Camelot; one of the most horrible Noah's that Allen had ever faced. Lenalee continued, worry laced through her voice. "She disappeared after that. I came to inform you about it, and… I saw her. I swear I saw her…"_

_Allen's eyes became wide. "What? You mean Cilicia could be in danger right now?" He cried. He and Link didn't wait for an answer; they ran out the door, Lenalee following close behind. The maids immediately became nervous and frightened as they ran down the halls to the bathing room. "She should be in here," Allen told Lenalee as he and Link stood outside the door. "Go in, and see if she's okay," Lenalee nodded as she ran into the room. _

_Allen and Link waited patiently, cautiously watching their surroundings and listening for any commotion. The door opened steadily, and out walked Lenalee. "Everything okay?" Allen asked; his muscles tense and his fists clenched. Allen couldn't help the way he acted. Anger pulsed through his veins at the thought of Road coming after Cilicia. Lenalee slowly nodded, making Allen finally relax._

"_She's fine," Lenalee added as the door opened behind her. Cilicia poked her head out. She had wet, messy hair, and she wore a simple gown that fell to her ankles. She held onto the door for support._

"_Is everything okay?" Cilicia asked, her weak voice sounding pitiful as worry laced through her voice. Everyone shared a nod, causing Cilicia to smile. Allen walked over to her, offering his arm for support. She gratefully accepted it._

"_We may need to apply more precautions," Allen admitted out loud, trying his best not to reveal his panic or worry. "We may have to keep a closer eye on you,"_

_Cilicia gave a horrified expression. "You pervert!" She smacked his head with her fist, catching Allen off guard and making him stumble. "Don't make up excuses to watch me bathe!" Cilicia cried before losing her balance and in turn falling to the floor. Laughs were shared across the halls as Allen and Cilicia continued their arguing, screaming and lunging at each other on the ground._

/O\

"Tyki," Allen murmured as he slid into the booth across from me. I laced my fingers together as I looked into Allen's distant eyes. He was here in front of me, but his mind was obviously somewhere else. I took a deep breath, slipping off my hat and running my hands through my hair. Allen slowly raised an eyebrow, seeing that something was obviously wrong. He fidgeted slightly, as if he could feel the pressure in the atmosphere of the room. "We haven't been to a bar like this in years," Allen stated to break the awkward silence that washed over us. A small smirk appeared on my lips.

"Yeah, like a decade or something. I realized that if we kept meeting at bars, Waizuri would eventually fine out,"

"Well, I'm glad you invited me now. It must mean good news…"

I took a deep breath as I grabbed my drink off the table. "No, no…" I murmured as I brought my drink to my lips. I gulped it down in nearly one sip and smacked my glass back on the table. "I just really needed a drink…"

"What's wrong, Tyki?" Allen asked, worry lacing through the voice that always held confidence in his words… I could barely take the truth of this. It was driving me near insane. I rubbed my temples as I tried to find a way to explain.

"Allen," I muttered slightly, trying to find a way for this to be easier. "I need to know… in that Holograph that Timcanpy showed you… who was that girl?"

Allen immediately glared in my direction. "What do you mean?" He snapped. I was afraid of this. He was getting defensive. I began to feel worse about coming here. I grabbed a handkerchief from my pocket and ran it across my forehead. Allen's defensive stance seemed to falter as he saw me do so. "Tyki, what's wrong? You look nervous…"

"I am," I admitted as I looked for a waitress and raised my glass to her. "Honestly, I don't know how to explain this,"

"Explain what?" Allen's voice revealed panic. It wasn't helping out my mood. I took a calming breath before I continued.

"That little girl brought up a vision. Turns out, it was a vision of my former self. It was the first Noah of Pleasure," I leaned an elbow on the table and leaned into my hand. I looked over to Allen with a small smirk. "Did you know we are all reincarnated? The Noah's, I mean. I'm sure you knew that… Looks I suffered some damage long ago in a former life, so I can't remember all my lives, but… I found out why the others don't trust me. My '_ancestor_' betrayed them,"

"Really?" Allen's eyebrows creased together. "That means they must expect what we are up to-"

I shook my head. "What we're up to is none of their concerns," I admitted as I gave a small fake smile to the waitress who replaced my drink. I drank in greedy gulps as Allen stared at me in disbelief.

"Wait… they _know_?" Allen's eyes were wide as he stated his shock. I slowly shook my head.

"They don't know the details, but they know I'm up to something. The numbers don't add up to them... They expect that I'm part of it, but that's not what I'm talking about. They are worried… about that _girl,_"

"What does she have to do with anything?" Allen shrieked, obviously agitated by the thought of the girl being involved. "She has nothing to do with us, why are they worried about her?"

"Because she awakened my past visions!" I retorted. Allen was caught off guard. I sighed again, taking the last sip of my drink. "Don't you listen to me anymore, Allen? She was an asset to the Noah family a long time ago. Her soul is bound to the Earl, just like the rest of the Noah,"

Allen was about to interject, but he stopped short of his words. He looked down to the left slightly. I had already grew accustom of such strange acts, and I waited patiently for him to continue. Allen slowly nodded to himself before looking back at me. "Bound to the Earl… I didn't know that,"

I shrugged. "I guess you do now,"

I reached over and grabbed the beer that had been set next to Allen. I took a swig from it, tasting it's bitterness before gulping it down. Allen put his hand on my arm, forcing me to stop and look at him "Don't drown yourself in alcohol. Tell me what's happening,"

I sighed as I set his beer on the table. I looked back to him with slightly glazed eyes. What I was about to tell him was dangerous and risky. He shouldn't know about this. And even if he did, who's to say finding out from me was the best? But I felt as if knowing would be for the better. If he was connected to the girl, then he had to know what to expect.

"Allen," I began, slowly saying his name in hopes that he wouldn't freak out. "My ancestor made a deal with her a long time ago. He… _I _released her from her bond of the Earl. She's the reason why Neah died, and implanted himself inside of you. And the Earl needs this girl, Allen. He will do everything in his power to make sure she is dead…"

As I had started his face had already began to turn paler. At first I thought it was what I was saying, but I realized that he wasn't listening to me at all. Slowly his eye began to turn black, the red target-like symbol appearing in his eye. My eyes grew wide. "Allen-!"

Allen collapsed. He fell from his seat onto the floor, looking all but dead. The strange, familiar gear that appeared in front of his left eye twitched almost enthusiastically. I jumped from my seat, attracting almost as much attention as Allen's fainting. I kneeled next to his side. "Allen! Brother, wake-!"

I felt his hand grab my collar. He pulled himself up and stared into my eyes. A wide smirk appeared on his lips. "**Hello, brother. It's been a long time since we've spoken**,"

"Neah…" I muttered under my breath. I looked away from him, glaring at the floor. "The process has already begun. So, you must have something important to say…"

Allen's head slowly began to nodded. He slowly started to smile, his cream colored eyes giving off a twinkle. "**Yes. Do not let that girl die. If she dies… I will kill you with my own hands**,"

**Ohh, I love evil sides of people ^^ anyway, give me a review! about 10 would be nice... just to show you still love me! ^^**

**Anyway... I don't really know what to say. I'm being forced to hurry up to go to sleep. so I'll just say that The story is coming together and that I hope you will all continue reading! Thanks! **

**R&R!**


	10. Chapter 10

_**7,817 words! Sorry about late updating, I figured it would be best if I waited for summer. Though I feel like summer may be even busier than school, at least I can stay up late at night now! ^^**_

_**And forget the updating day being on Tuesday, cuz I'll never remember! Expect sporadic updating!**_

_**Disclaimer: I can't take credit for the amazing characters of DGM, but I can take credit for Alicia, Reynaldo, and Cilicia, so I'm very happy about that! I've grown so attached to them! I hope you have too!**_

_**Feel free to ask questions, or give ideas about what you would want in the story! I'd love to use all of your suggestions, but they have to be… what's the word? Oh, realistic. Nothing like 'the dead coming back to life' kind of thing. (Zombie Apocalypse!... O.o {Don't do bath salts, they'll kill you})**_

_**Anyway, I hope you enjoy chapter 10 of my story (still can't figure out the short way to say the name! SWFWTW?) **_

_**Enjoy!**_

"_Who was that exorcist girl from the other day?" Cilicia asked as she picked up a card from the stack on her bed. Allen sat across from her, taking three cards from his hand and picking up three from the stack._

"_You mean the one who was here when you decided to accuse me of being a pervert and beat me up; knowing fully that I wouldn't __**dare**__ hit a girl? That was Lenalee Lee," Allen answered with acid laced in his voice, putting forwards three checker pieces as if they were his chips. _

_Cilicia was engulfed in a fit of giggles. She studied Allen's face before she spoke. "Was she your girlfriend?" Cilicia asked curiously as she raised her bet by four. She flinched at the movement, and began rolling her shoulders as her sore muscles ached from the movement. She looked back to Allen, awaiting his answer._

"_Yes…" Allen answered slowly, unsure of where Cilicia was going with the conversation. He did understand why she would be curious. He had basically been telling his life story to her over the course of her illness. She had also seemed to grow protective of Allen; rumor has it that her father came in one night to look through Allen and Link's stuff; in return, Cilicia gave him a sore nose. "Okay, reveal," _

_Allen and Cilicia showed their hands. Allen smirked at his hand, thinking that a first time player wouldn't be able to beat a full house. He frowned once he noticed that in her hand was four of a kind. Cilicia took her checker chips with a wide smile on her face. Allen threw down his cards with a frustrated glare. He had only just taught her how to play, and already she was beating him. He wasn't even trying to go easy on her!_

"_Cool! I win again!" Cilicia giggled as she stacked the chips on her bed. She turned to Allen with an almost sinister gaze. "Hey, if I beat you in this next hand, you have to do whatever I want!"_

_Allen's eyebrow twitched, for he was unable to deny her. He was a born gambler. "Sure," he said before he could think of the consequences. Link chuckled from behind his book as Allen dealt the cards again. "If I win, you have to tell me a secret,"_

_Cilicia giggled. "Truth or dare, I see? Okay, deal," Cilicia took the cards in her hand and studied them. _

"_And stop distracting me with your psychological warfare… Don't think I don't know that you're not the most innocent player in the world!" Allen growled as he brought up his hand._

"_Okay!" Cilicia cheerily cried. "I'll stay with these," she stated with a small smirk._

_Allen smirked back. "I'll stay as well," they placed their bets, revealed their cards, and Allen found himself hanging his head in shame. "Okay," Allen muttered in defeat. This girl had some beginners luck. "Lay it on me-"_

_Before Allen could finish his sentence, Cilicia wrapped her arms around his neck. Allen blinked in shook as she whispered into his ear. "Kiss me,"_

"_What?" Allen shrieked. He could hear Link chuckling in the back. Allen turned to see Link facing the other way, his nose stuck in a book instead of paying attention. He had been doing that a lot lately, but Allen knew that if Link heard what she had just said, he wouldn't have been chuckling._

"_Kiss me… please," Cilicia cooed into Allen's ear. Allen looked back to Cilicia and shifted uncomfortably under her._

"_I have a girlfriend; you know that," Allen found himself whispering back. His eyebrows were folded together as he felt her push herself against him. he could her curves against him, and his body dicided for him that it was nice._

_He felt Cilicia's lips touch his ear softly. "I'll tell you a secret if you do," she began to twirl her fingers into his hair. Allen's breath became heavy. His eyes slowly began to glaze._

"_But you're …" Allen mumbled, barely able to keep his mind on track. He felt Cilicia grip his hair tightly._

"_Before you say I'm thirteen, I'm nineteen years old and I resent that-!"_

"_No…" Allen cut her off, placing his left hand on her shoulder lightly and holding her away. "You're basically royalty, nobility; I'm a cursed Exorcist who's always going to be hunted by Akuma an-"_

"_Why are you thinking about the future?" Allen met Cilicia's pleading eyes with confusion. Her deep blue eyes made Allen's mind almost go completely blank. He found himself hypnotized as he brought his hands into her hair. She closed her eyes as she leaned into his touch. "D-don't think about the future, think about now. When you think about what you want now, you'll __**know**__ what you want in the future… What do you want to do right now?"_

_Allen gave Cilicia a small smile. He ran his hand along her chin; he grinned as he felt a shiver run down her back at the contact. He pulled her face close to his, feeling her nose touch his as he looked into her eyes. "I want to kiss you," he answered truthfully, knowing fully the consequences of his actions. _

_And they're lips touched, softly and briefly, and for that small, brief moment that their lips touched…_

_They found themselves complete._

_**/O\**_

My eyes slowly opened at the sound of a closing door. I slowly blinked at the dimly lit room. I found myself wondering where I was at and how I got there. I ran my hand over the blanket that lay on top of me, and then smiled down at the red sofa I was laying on. It was comfortable: homey.

I looked around the room and gasped. Never had I seen so many books before. I found myself full of glee, ready to jump up and read as many books as I could get my hands on, when I felt a ruffling around my neck. I looked down to see Tobimaru unravel his wings and look up at me. His tail was still wrapped around my neck, and I suddenly realized the cleverness of his actions. "They thought you were a necklace," I whispered to my golem as I rubbed his tiny cheek. "But why did you…?"

Realization washed over me as I remembered who I was found by. A harsh looking man and a beautiful young woman. I closed my eyes as I remembered their appearance. One thing stuck out to me; their uniforms. "They had to be… exorcist," I muttered, suddenly feeling not so at home anymore. My eyes darted across the room, resting on a barely 'neat' desk in front of me. It had some books stacked up on it, and lots of loose paper all around it. It was the center piece of the room, so I knew I had to see more of it. I sat up, wishing to go investigate, when I heard the door knob begin to turn. In a rush, I pulled my hood over my head, slammed myself back onto the sofa, and quickly fabricated a sleeping state.

As the door opened, two distinct footsteps where heard entering the room. I made sure my eyes where sealed shut as I heard the footsteps grow closer. I could sense a figure standing above me. "She's still asleep," a familiar voice cooed as I felt a hand being dragged along my hair. The soothing motion made me let out a light sigh, which I tried to pull off as being a light sleeping breath. I heard the other footsteps come closer.

"I thought as such, poor thing witnessed an Akuma killing spree. 15 people died last night… I wonder where the famous reaper Akuma disappeared to…?" a male voice responded, though I could sense his mind wasn't all in his words.

"She asked for her father," the female voice stated as she laced her fingers through my hair. "I wonder if one of dead was…" It was silent for a moment. I felt the absence of her hand, followed by a slight chocking sound, as if she was trying to hold back her tears. "She sounded desperate for him. It makes me think… oh, never mind," her withdrawal confused me. As I thought of how she spoke, I couldn't help but wonder… was she afraid to finish?

I heard a deep sigh and a chair drag across the floor. "Sister, I just wanted to say-"

"Now isn't the time, Komui," the voice above me interjected. I felt the lack of her presence as she moved away from me. It made me sad, but I tried my best to stay in a sleep like state. She continued to speak. "But I want you to know, brother, that I don't regret anything. I would never regret that boy… he made me into the woman I am today,"

"Sometimes… sometimes I wonder," the man's voice was dreamlike as he continued. "How would everything be today if he didn't leave. How would we act around each other? How would you and him be? Would there be children…?" dead silence fell over the room. I felt as if I was completely out of place. Yet, at the same time, I felt as if I should be listening. I felt that this was exactly what I needed to hear, but I just couldn't place why.

Finally, the woman spoke. "I'm glad that it happened this way. Who knows how we would get along in the future? I'm just glad I… I was his,"

I heard a shuffling sound, followed by a chair being pushed back. "But, Lenalee!" the male voice cracked as he screamed her name in horror. "You're my sweet little sister! You-"

"Komui," the female voice whispered his name so lightly it seemed unreal. It was as if his name just floated away from her mouth so lovingly that it drifted into the air with ease. "I thought he was the one. I didn't know that he would disappear one day," Her voice drifted away, and I heard footsteps draw closer to me. I felt the sofa's form shift a little as the woman sat towards the other end. "I just want to know why he left. I know I could ask anyone, but I want to know for sure. I started to believe that… he didn't exist,"

"Oh, Lenalee," the male voice whimpered from the other side of the room. There was a light silence, but I heard his voice again. "Lenalee, I've been lying to you about more… well, not so much lying as just not telling you the complete truth. I never wanted to butt into your business, but… Oh, Lenalee… I knew,"

It was so quiet that I was beginning to believe she would never answer. I wished I had a clue of what they were talking about. I felt like a complete intruder on a personal situation. Actually, I knew that I was, and it made me feel all the worse realizing that I was doing so right under their nose. I knew I would eventually have to speak up, but the sound of quiet sobs reached my ears. "Komui…" I heard the girl whimper. I felt weight leave the sofa, and heard footsteps running across the room. I could imagine the girl running into the man's arm as she sobbed quietly.

"Hush, dear sister," The male voice cooed. "I'm sorry about the way I reacted… it's just a long story,"

"But you hate him!" The woman suddenly cried. I heard the sound of skin contact. It made me jump slightly, but that went unnoticed as she continued to scream. "Why are you doing this to me? First you reveal that you've been keeping information about him away from me, then you yell at me-breaking my heart into pieces-, and now, you tell me everything is okay, and you knew this whole time… and you hate him! You didn't care about-"

"I do _not _hate him!" the male voice cried over the woman. "I'm just not too fond of him because I'm aware of his crimes-!"

There was a slight silence that seemed to interrupt the man. I heard the sound of stumbling feet, followed by the sound of gulping. "Crimes…?"

"Lenalee, why did you volunteer to go to the Asian Branch nine years ago?" the female did not respond to the man's sudden question. The male continued. "We all have secrets, lies, answers to the questions that we refuse to listen to… We know that some things are better left unsaid. I wasn't happy when you reassigned yourself, but after learning why- along with your personal reasoning's- I came to accept it,"

"You knew all that…?"

"And there are things that we all know that you need to ask him yourself," the voice was decisive, final. I could tell he was done talking. I took the opportunity to stretch out my limbs and roll off the sofa. To tell the truth, it wasn't my intention to fall, but I rolled with it as I face planted the ground.

"Owww," I called loudly, hoping that I would attract attention. I realized that it was unneeded, because as I barely hit the ground, petit arms help me back to the chair. I rubbed the nose on my face as I looked up to the beautiful woman with short, green hair who helped me up. "Hello, Miss… Lenalee?" The woman giggled as I pretended to recall her name. She gave me a nod as I settled myself back on the sofa. She wore the same uniform that father wore; only hers had a skirt. She wore white thigh high socks, and black high heel shoes. On both of her ankles she had anklets that were a deep crimson color. She crossed her legs and leaned back into the chair, snapping me out of my meditative mood. I gave a worried smile. "Where am I?"

"You're at the Black Order HQ," Lenalee spoke slowly. I had the impression that she either thought I didn't know the place, or thought I was stupid. But then again, that's the impression I always got when speaking to a grown up. Afterwards, I would say that I was slightly pleased with her style; being slightly annoyed made me forget how utterly afraid I was.

"I believe we haven't met," a voice called over to me. I instantly recognized the male voice from before. I placed a fake smile across my lips as I turned to finally put a face to the voice. I witnessed a tall man in a white coat smiling at me from behind the desk. He had a beret on his head, and glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. "My name is Komui Lee. I am…-" I noticed that his eyes became wide as I made eye contact with him. He stumbled slightly, knocking some papers away from his desk as he did such. He sat up suddenly, fixing the hat that sat on his head. "I am this young lady's older brother, and chief of the science department," As he looked at me, I couldn't help but notice the cautious gaze boring into me. I couldn't help but fidget under his gaze, wondering why the man was looking at me so strangely. A shine covered his glasses as a smirk appeared on his face. "It seems you have won the heart of my younger sister. That is a fatal flaw, you see, because it poses the risk of you stealing her away from me. It is a crime punishable an examina- Ow!" the spine of a book hit Komui right between his eyes. I blinked as the man groveled on the floor slightly, then turned to my right to see Lenalee's arm stretched out towards him. It looked as if I had found the culprit.

"Um, Ms. Lenalee, why did you do that?" I asked, the innocence in my voice was not faked. I was genuinely confused.

Lenalee turned to me with a slightly clueless look, and then a large smile graced her face. "Oh... I'm sorry. It's a habit. Besides, his examinations are cruel and unusual punishments, and if a sweetheart like you had to go through one… I would be just devastated!" Lenalee dramatically placed her hands on her cheeks, emphasizing her horror. I found myself giggling, though I couldn't tell why. I always found grown up attempts to humor children a petty act, but Lenalee had a personality that made the torture bearable enough to actually laugh at.

"My precious Lenalee!" I jumped in my seat to see Komui hugging onto Lenalee's legs, crying as if he just lost a puppy. All I could think was _'how did he get here so fast?'_ before he started blabbering. "I promise you, Lenalee, I will protect you from anyone who dares to take you away from me! You're my only sister and I must protect you! Please, Lenalee, don't leave me!"

"There, there, big brother," Lenalee slowly smiled as she patted the head of the grown man at her knees. "Aren't we both way too old for this behavior?"

"You're no fun," Komui stated from the other side of the room as he drank a steaming liquid from a blue mug with a bunny on it. I blinked at the man again, wondering if it was physically possibly to teleport, when Lenalee nudged my arm.

"Hey," She muttered with a wink. "Let's ditch this guy,"

I smiled up at her. "Sure,"

I followed Lenalee out of the office, feeling like a ninja when Lenalee gave me the signal to be quiet. Even when we got into the hall, we were walking in a crouched position, slowly creeping our way along. A man in a white lab coat and strange glasses walked by in a hurry, and we pretended to be statues close to the wall as he passed. Sadly, the man slowed down and gave us a funny look. "What are you doing?"

"Johnny!" Lenalee pouted, taking a step away from the wall. I stayed where I was at and watched as silently as I could. "You ruined the game!"

"Who's this?" the young man asked. As he stared at me, I tried my hardest not to blink. My eyes were starting to burn as Lenalee spoke up again.

"Who's who?" Lenalee pretended to look around the hall and not notice me. The man named Johnny laughed.

"I wish I could hang with you guys, but I gotta get back to work," The man turned to me with a smile. "When you're done with your game, I'd like to meet you… and hear your name. Bye- oh! Lenalee!" the man turned back to Lenalee with a huge smile. "I almost forgot! Go check the cafeteria!"

"Why?" Lenalee asked. Genuine curiosity was heard in her voice as she gave a questionable look to the man called Johnny. Said man merely smiled.

"You'll see!" he called as he began to run off. Lenalee shifted her wait to one leg as she watched him turn a corner.

"I wonder what's going on…" Lenalee gazed at me from the corner of her eye. She blinked once and smiled directly towards me. "Since we're going to the cafeteria, would you like something to eat?"

The growling of my stomach answered before I could. I didn't realize how hungry I actually was. I dropped my statue stance, causing my hood to fall from my head. I held my belly pitifully. "I do believe that I'm a tad hungry…"

Lenalee laughed. Her voice sounded like bells, making me completely jealous. I couldn't place why, but I think it had something to do about where I was at. I was at the Black Order HQ, the place my father was at before… well, before me, I guess. There was a chance that he heard the sound of this woman's laugh, and possibly enjoyed it before.

I realized how scared I was. Anyone could have been friends with my father. Anyone could have loved him as much I as I love him… And, truthfully, I was afraid of someone taking father away from me. If he had a wife or even a lover… would he forget about me?

That wasn't the only thing. Supposedly, I looked a lot like my father. Reynaldo said I looked like him before a… was it a curse? Was father cursed? And did these people see what he looked like before the curse? Does that mean they would recognize me? As I looked up to the giggling Lenalee, I wondered if she had seen my father at all as she looked at me without my hood.

Lenalee's laugh slowed to light giggle as she held her hand out to me. "You must be the sweetest girl I've ever met. Will you let me spoil you while you're mine?"

I blinked at the hand Lenalee held out in front of me. My heart skipped a beat as I slowly placed my hand in hers. She led me away, possibly towards the cafeteria. All I could do was stare at my hand in her hand. I've never felt a smooth hand like hers before. She led me away with a grace that I did not know existed.

Lenalee looked at me from the corner of her eyes. "So," She began as she leisurely walked me down the hall. "What where you doing out alone last night? Or were you with your father?"

"My Father?" I shrieked. Panic washed over me, but Lenalee gave me a hand motion that said to calm down.

"You mentioned him last night. I assumed that you travel with your father…"

"O-Oh," I muttered, looking down at my feet awkward. "Well, actually, I was with my uncle last night. We, um… we kinda got separated. Last night I was so scared…" I trailed off, wondering if I should tell the whole truth or close to the truth. At that moment, I wished Reynaldo was nearby. If he was here, I could just look at his face and know what to tell and what not to tell. But I guess working solo would be something I'd have to get used to for when I get older.

"Uncle…" Lenalee muttered, her eyebrows folding together slightly. "By any chance, um… never mind,"

I looked up to Lenalee with a confused expression. She was looking away from me with a puzzled look on her face. She looked at me from the corner of her eye and placed a smile on her face. What was she about to say? I began to do into deep thought, working my way through every scenario that could lead to Reynaldo knowing Lenalee. I didn't realize we had made it into the cafeteria until she screamed and let go of my hand.

I jumped away from her, pulling up my hood as a force of habit. I saw Lenalee smile, tears filling up her eyes. She mumbled some words that I didn't quiet catch, and she ran forward and into the arms of another. I slowly gathered my composer. I pulled back my hood slightly to see what the commotion was about. My heart nearly stopped.

"M-…Mr. Lavi?" I muttered. It was way too low for them to hear, but it didn't stop it from being the truth. In front of me was Lenalee engulfed in the embrace of Lavi. Behind him, I caught a glimpse of Timothy with a large smile on his face. I pulled my hood up again, knowing fully well that they would notice me. I wouldn't know what to tell them if they asked why I was here. Besides, where was uncle Rey?

My heart beat quickened at that thought. '_Where is uncle Rey?'_ I couldn't believe I had forgotten about him. Where was he? Was he looking for me? Why am I willingly in the middle of the Exorcist headquarters?

"I can't believe you came back!" Lenalee cried into Lavi's chest. I began to search my surrounding, trying to locate an escape route. I wasn't aware of any. There seemed to be no windows. I looked back to Lenalee helplessly.

"I came because I found news," Lavi claimed. I began walking towards the back. I needed to get away. I needed to- "I think I found him… I think I found Allen,"

I froze in my spot. I couldn't believe my ears. Found him… They couldn't have found father. There was no way...

"You didn't find nothing!" Timothy's voice called. I turned slightly, witnessing Timothy push Lavi away in a mocking manor. "_I_, and I stress _I_, found a note posted on the city task board in Oxford. It was a coded message, but I decoded it!"

Lavi looked like he sweat dropped. "Yes, well, you would've never had found that note if I hadn't had lost my golem-"

I gulped at his statement. Was it my fault? They found Reynaldo's message to father… because I took Tobi from Lavi. But I can't regret Tobi, right? He was my special golem. I could never replace him! And I would never regret him… But why did Timothy have to find that note? Why…?

"Lavi, Timothy… I appreciate your involvement, but… I don't think one simple note, which may not even have a message behind it, could lead us to him so easily," Lenalee looked down as she spoke. I could see the sorrow in her eyes, and it made me realize something. If they were looking for father, could that mean they care about him as much as I did? Maybe I've been looking at this all wrong. Maybe they were looking for father… because they missed him.

Another question arose. _'is that who they were talking about in Komui's office?'_ my eyes grew wide as I tried to recall the conversation. I couldn't remember it. I bit my lip in frustration as Lenalee looked back to Lavi with a small smile. "But thank you. Of course, it wouldn't hurt to visit more often," she gave what looked like a scolding glance to Lavi, who chuckled nervously as his hand went to the back of his head. "And Timothy, I'm glad to see you still have faith," Timothy huffed childishly and turned away as he mumbled to himself bitterly. Lenalee still held a smile on her lips.

I took a deep breath as I watched them from the back of the room. I knew each one of them separately, but when they were together, they had a chemistry all their own. It was like a dysfunctional family. It was like my family. My stomach started to ache. Oh, how I missed my family. My nanny, Mrs. Nancy, My tutor and crush, Jason, my 'other father' for all practical reasons, Mr. Bottle, they were all that I had in this world. They were my constant, my sense of familiarity, and without them, I almost felt all alone.

But even when I was home, I would cry myself to sleep every night that father was gone. There was nothing anyone could do about it. I loved my father more than anyone in the whole world. One night, he came home late, and I was almost completely asleep, tears streaming down my pale cheeks. He came into my room and crawled into bed next to me. He gave me a piece of advice that I would never forget.

'_You need to be strong, Ally girl. The stronger you are for me, the stronger I'll be for you. __**Rely on yourself, and hold me in your heart forever and for always,**__"_

A smile appeared on my face. With watery eyes, I took a step towards the familiar group in front of me. I didn't care about my background or my reasons, my past or my judgment; I just wanted to be with the people that I felt I could trust. I would be strong, because the stronger I act, _the stronger I will be_.

A hand on my shoulder made my whole body tense and I froze on the spot. I looked up slowly, fearing only slightly that it was someone who would rat me out. My eyes made contact with a pair of glasses that had a glare over them. "I think you should come with me," I tilted my head in response to the man. He smiled lightly at my questionable pose. "I should have some food back in my office. I ordered some after you left,"

Any other day, I would think it was a trap, but not today. I followed the man who I believed was Mr. Komui back to his office as Lenalee took the time to catch up with Lavi and Timothy without me. I felt nothing wrong when I left them there, being that I felt like I would slow down the reunion. Komui opened the door for me, to which I nodded politely as I walked in. I found my way back to the comfortable red sofa and sat in it. Komui walked around his desk and sat in his own chair. As he sat down, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" he called in a cheery voice. Immediately after the door opened, I could smell the food. Beautiful aroma's filled the air as multiple carts were pushed into the room. A curious looking man with long purple braids led them in, and smacked the others with a hand towel once all the carts were in the room. He turned to Komui with a smirk. "Hello, chief!" the man called as he swished his hips and made his way over to Komui's desk. "Once I got your order, I just knew you had something up your sleeve! What's the dirt?"

Komui cleared his throat and motioned towards me. The man looked at me curiously before releasing a high-pitched "AWWWWWWW!" the man ran over to me and squeezed my sides. "Look at this charming little thing!" he cried, emphasizing on every word as he squeezed harder. I gasped, and as I did so my hood fell off my head. The man pulled away slightly and looked me over. "Oh! A girl~!" he giggled… yes, giggled. I couldn't believe he did that. It was ungentle-man-like for a man to _giggle_… wasn't it?

"Jerri, please," Komui called, his voice sounding all business. The man referred to as Jerri pouted but released me. He grabbed a dome in front of me and lifted it to reveal an amazing lobster dinner, complete with an array of dipping sauces, and biscuits that were stuff with cheese (Red Lobster, FTW). My mouth drooled endlessly at the sight. Jerri gave one final giggle. "_Bon apatite_!" he called as he made his exit.

I stared at the dinner with a watering mouth. I looked at the plate, up to Komui, then back to the plate again. Komui motioned for me to begin eating, to which I didn't refuse. I reached for the food, but stopped short. I sat up straight, grabbed a napkin and placed it on my lap, set my forks and knife up perfectly, and bowed my head in prayer. _'All I can really say is thank you,'_ I thought after my prayer was finished_. 'I'm happy for this adventure, and the colorful friends that I've met along the way. I'm happy my journey has been more or less peaceful so far, though I know that can change… and I'm glad I'm finding out more about father, but I do hope I can see him soon…'_

I then began eating, trying my best not to look like a slob, and present myself as a grown-up, dignified young lady. As I finished the lobster dinner, Komui began looking though a drawer in his desk. He looked up slightly, and after seeing that I was finished, motioned to another cart. "Please, Ms. Alicia, help yourself to another meal," he began flipping through files, looking carefully into every one. I did not move from my spot. I watched him very carefully, very intently. I believe he could feel my gaze on him, because soon he looked to me with a curious expression. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

I could sense the unease of his words. He had a guilty conscious. I lifted my chin, feeling my heartbeat increase. "How did you know my name?" I inquired as I stood from my spot. Komui tilted his head as he continued to gaze at me.

"What do you mean? You told me your name,"

"No, I don't believe I did," I inferred as is began walking towards his desk. "I distinctly remember not revealing that information to you,"

Komui fumbled in his files as I made my way closer to him. He shifted his weight to where he was leaning away from me, and hurriedly fumbled through his work. "Well then, I must have heard it from Lenalee-"

"You're lying~," I muttered into his ear. He jumped up quickly and placed his hand on a serving dome.

"Oh, please," he muttered in a nonchalant tone. He lifted the dome. "Please, help yourself to some Apple Crumble. I know its desert but-"

"But it's only my favorite, right?" I smirked to Komui as he stuttered on what to say. I had caught him. I wasn't really sure if he was telling the truth or not, but to try a new method on getting information on him was great practice. Even I started to believe that I knew his every move before he did it. I was about to ask a question when something caught my eye.

I looked down to the files that Komui had in his draw. Out of a file, small sheets of paper were sticking up. I looked up to him with confusion in my eyes before I carefully took a sheet in my hand. I brought it up to get a closer look, and I just couldn't believe my eyes.

_**/O\**_

Link looked down at his map, then back up to the city in front of him. "Manchester," He stated in a monotone voice. He stuffed his map in his coat pocket and smirked slightly. "First real lead in… years,"

Link looked on to the city; it seemed busy today, much to Link's dismay. But then again, if there were lots of people, Allen could still be here. He could be trying to hide in plain sight by blending in.

Link took a deep breath, feeling his rage for Allen seeping through his calm exterior. He tried not to show it, for it was an ugly sight, but sometimes what Allen did drove Link up the wall. "Stupid kid," Link muttered as he stepped forwards, making his way towards the city. "If he just didn't kiss Lady Cilicia, maybe none of this would've happen,"

But Link knew that was a fairy tale on its own. He knew from the beginning it was wrong for Allen to cheat, to betray Lenalee in such a way. _'One kiss will lead to a thousand regrets'_ Link finalized with a nod to himself. He continued the way to town, weary of the past, and the future it had created.

"_Link!" Allen ran through the halls as quickly as he could. He reached out and put his hand on Link's shoulder "Link, listen to me!"_

"_No!" Link jerked himself away from Allen's hand. Allen took a step back, startled at Link's sudden rage towards him. He turned to Allen, his eyes blazing with anger. "Why should I listen to you? Do you understand how wrong that was?"_

"_It was the bet, Link!" Allen screeched. He truly believed he wasn't at fault. He grabbed his hair, feeling as if he should rip it all out. "It was the bet! I kept telling her no, but she wouldn't take it as an answer! Listen, link," Allen put his hand back on Link's shoulder. "I thought it through, and I thought it couldn't be too bad. This girl is deathly ill… when would she ever get her first kiss?" _

_Link glared at Allen. "Don't you know anything? After our mission is complete, Lady Cilicia is to be married to a wealthy Aristocrat!"_

"_W-what?" Allen took a step back. Link's harsh glare softened when he saw this. He shook his head at Allen. _

"_You really didn't know?" He gave Allen a sad look, maybe of pity, for Allen had just been stabbed in the heart. He had really felt something for that girl. He even thought of her above Lenalee sometimes. It was a cruel and unbelievable thing for Allen to think. The girl he just kissed didn't care. She just wanted to use him…_

_Was every other girl like this? Would Lenalee do this? '__**No**__' Allen thought. Link watched as Allen took another step back, finally leaning against a wall for support. __**'Lenalee is different…**__' but even as he thought so, he doubted himself. What was he to believe now? He brushed his hand over his head, pulling his long white hair from his eyes which only revealed disbelief. Link gave a drawn out sigh. "I'm sorry, Allen. I thought you were informed of all of this. It's basically the reason why we are here; to keep Lady Cilicia safe until she can be married. Didn't you read the file?"_

_Allen had a look of confusion on his face. He looked up to Link was dazed eyes. "I thought her parent were just protective…"_

"_Well…" Link grabbed the clipboard he had tucked under his arm and flipped a page on it. "Actually, I think it was Young Master Reynaldo who asked for our assistance. Maybe the people at HQ thought it was her father?"_

_Allen slowly took a step forwards. "Why wouldn't her father call? Why did her brother have to?"_

_Link raised an eyebrow at Allen. "Where are you getting at? There is no difference,"_

"_She's going to marry an Aristocrat, so why would her father want her to stay here and be protected? Wouldn't he send her off as soon as possible, so that he wouldn't have to pay the Order?"_

"_That's a horrible thing to say," Link frowned at Allen and shook his head. "Her father cares for her just as much,"_

"_It's the way people are," Allen glared towards Link. "Even if he did care for her, he would care for his money more. Besides, why didn't he make the call then?" Link looked dumbfounded at Allen's words. He wasn't quite sure of where he was going with this. Allen turned away from Link. "And if she would marry an Aristocrat, why would she…" Allen's eyes became wide. He turned back to Link. "It's a sign!"_

"_What?" Link cried. "Are you out of your mind? Allen, don't build the puzzle with pieces that aren't there…"_

_Allen turned to Link with an incredulous look on his face. "But… Reynaldo must know something we don't," Allen suggested. A wide smile appeared on his face. "We have to-"_

_A loud explosion rattled the building. Allen and Link both fell to the floor, completely aghast at the magnitude of the explosion. "What was that?" Link cried, fumbling in his attempts to sit up. _

_Allen was the first to stand, a look of pure terror on his face. "Cilicia!" Allen cried as he ran down the halls at maximum speed. He focused his mind on one path, the path to Cilicia's room. It was almost as if all the doors and hallways that didn't lead him there melted from existence. It seemed almost impossible to become lost while his mind focused only on Cilicia. He burst through the doors of Cilicia's room to find her on the floor, crawling away from her bed. "Cilicia!" Allen cried, running to her side. He dropped down next to her; his hands hovered over her, wary of where he should help her up from._

_Cilicia coughed into her hand as dust glided across the room. She gave Allen a weak smile. "I'm fine… I was talking to…" Cilicia's eyes became wide before she turned away to relieve the contents of her stomach on the floor. She coughed again, gaging on the dust. She took a raged deep breath. "The maid…" She cried as she pointed her shaking arm across the room. Allen turned towards the piano, and his stomach ached when he saw blood on the keys. He ran to the piano to see a women unconscious, her head seeping blood onto the ground. Allen gulped._

"_Stay there, Cilicia," Allen cried as he kneeled next to the woman. Allen knew her heart was still beating, because blood was still dripping from her head. Allen tried to remember the basics in first aid, but his mind drew a blank. Before he could realize it, Cilicia had crawled to his side. She coughed vigorously as she positioned herself next to the maid. She closed her eyes forcefully, her face showing the strain. She moved her hands over the maids head. A light shined out from her palms, glowing eerily as the maid's eyes slowly opened. Her eyes became wide._

"_Madam Cilicia, no-!" Before the maid could finish her pleading, Cilicia fell unconscious._

_**/O\**_

"I gave my description to Reever already. It was a fairly tall man, lean, slightly muscular, with white hair and a scar on his left eye. I'll never forget that," Nisa sat pristinely in her chair across from Link, trying to hold a controlled nature about her. Craine sat silent next to her, listening with his eyes close, but his mind open.

Link leaned back slightly, finding a comforting feeling in the small inn on the outskirts of town. He prompted up his feet on the table in front of him and scratched his head with a pencil. "Yes, I'm aware of that. Tell me, have you and your brother searched for him at all?"

Nisa gripped her knees suddenly. She slowly shook her head. A long silence followed, for Nisa dared not speak and Link was determined to get a real statement from her. Finally, she looked off to the side and answered. "No, sir. I found the encounter frightening… I thought he was only a legend,"

Link raised an eyebrow. "If he was only a legend, why am I here now?" Nisa gasped lightly, making eye contact with Link for only a second before turning away again. Link began to move his pencil on his notepad. "Of course, even the people who knew him are starting to believe he never existed. But enough about that, tell me any more information you may have," Nisa spoke more on the mysterious man who called himself 'Walker'. All though it was his first real lead, Link couldn't find his situation anymore boring. He had started taking notes, but found that doodling on his notepad was more entertaining. Link soon grew tired of this, too, and finally began asking Nisa for specifics. "Was there anything suspicious, besides him in general, that you witnessed?"

"Well…"

"His Golem had the marking of the great General Cross," Craine's voice was heard for the first time that evening. Link looked at him skeptically, awaiting for more enlightenment on the current fact. "It was large, around the size of a soccer ball. In its mouth I could've sworn I saw a piece of innocence,"

Link leaned forward in his chair. "Innocence? He actually had some?" Link wasn't truly surprised. He believed from the beginning that Allen was a traitor; a low life who sank even lower than the low. The Black Order has been at a low when it came to collecting innocence, thought it technically evened out because of the exorcist bomb that happened many years ago, they had not been collecting enough innocence. It was only a matter of time before the heart was discovered, whether it be by the order or the Noah. If Allen was interfering, the chances were more than likely that, because he had abandoned the order, he was working for his own personal reasons.

The proof of the matter: there was none. The truth: nobody knows. But Link always believed Allen was behind the dawdling collection of innocence. Finally, there was evidence.

"We saw the Golem and it's swallowing of the innocence as he was giving us that message," Nisa admitted. She fidgeted as she continued. "He said that the order had something… or possibly was going to take something that belonged to him,"

Link was still thinking about the information about Allen collecting innocence that he almost didn't catch what Nisa had said. He looked to Nisa with a raised eyebrow. "Something that belonged to him?" Link blinked. He blinked again, a look of realization and horror on his face. Disbelief washed over him as he thought about the message. '_Something that belongs to him… could it be…?_'

With a sudden surge of energy, Link shot up from his seat. "I need to get back to HQ… tonight,"

"Tonight?" Nisa cried. She stood up, a wave of confusion and uncertainty washing over her. "You can't make that trip in one day,"

"Of course I can," Link informed as he pulled a black golem out of his pocket. "Just one call to central and I can just use the Ark,"

There was almost an eerie silence. Craine tilted his head ever so slightly. "The Ark is only located in London. It's HQ…"

"No it's not: the Ark spreads all across Europe and parts of Asia. We only allow certain, well-guarded entrances to be kept open. It's so your so-called 'legend' doesn't use the Ark without central's permission,"

Craine stood up. "If the legends are true, then the Ark belongs to General Walker! It is a part of him-"

"The legends _are_ true, Craine Dodgen! I've lived the legends!" the room once again fell silent. Link regained his composure and began his search for a phone. He called over his shoulder. "And it's also true that he has a Noah inside of him. He is _dangerous_, and _evil_, and must be stopped at all cost. Thanks to you two, we may finally be able to do it,"

Link left the room a cold stillness. Nisa wrapped her arms around herself, feeling her bones ache for no reason. She reached for her bow in a weary manor. She turned to Craine with sad eyes. "Why do I feel like I betrayed myself?" she asked, he voice cracking from her inner pain. Craine steadily turned to Nisa, holding out his arms in a nonchalant/comforting type of way. Nisa jumped into his arms, shaking in her own skin.

"I don't know, sister," Craine muttered as he reached for his blade. "But I fell… equal,"

**Pheeew, that was tough. I got that just as I envisioned it! To tell the truth, this chapter had been finished for a while, but I always have at least one other chapter waiting in line before I update…. And chapter 11 was hard to make…**

**But now, as I work on 12, and continuously edit 11, I'd like to read your feedback to keep me going! Critics are welcome, complements are worshiped, and even a good ol' 'can't wait for next chap!' is appreciated!**


	11. Chapter 11

**7,336 words! New chapter, my faithful readers! I'm so pleased that I actually got this done!**

**Okay, I know this is a slow story, but writers block hurts my head! :'( My next chapter is a lot more interesting (to me, anyway) But after watching episodes 52-94 Subbed, I've gotten over most of my writers block! (I love you Tyki Mikk! You are truly amazing, and I do not do you enough justice in my story!)**

**And thank you anon-reviewer! You make me :-D**

**Disclaimer: DGM is not mine! Alicia, Tobi, Reynaldo and Cilicia are! **

**Happy Readings!**

"What is this?" I screeched as I flipped through page after pager after page. My eyes couldn't possibly become wider as they darted over the images on the sheets. I looked up to Komui with menacing eyes, daring him to say one wrong word. He gulped at my stare.

"I can explain-!"

"Explain?" I snapped. I held up the sheets as close to his face as my arms could reach. I wanted to make sure he was looking at the same thing I was looking at. "How can you explain these?" I threw the sheets onto his desk, where they spread out unevenly across the top. The sheets that I threw down where pictures: Photo after photo of my father and a small child. I wasn't an idiot; I knew that the child was me. A few photos had Ms. Nancy in them, and I even found one of a young Jason looking over me. The picture that I could tell was the latest was of my last birthday party, which was taken at such an obscure angle that it was obvious that it was a 'stalker' photo.

Never before had I experienced such an invasion of privacy. To think that someone was watching my whole life… could my life really have been just a type of amusement to someone? Just a lie to amuse a creepy man in a lab coat?

My eyes narrowed as I looked up to the man above me. No, that was not the case. I knew it couldn't have been. My life was filled with so much happiness. This man seeing my live was a minor detail that didn't even matter. But the betrayal is what got me. Someone revealing my life to a person I did not know, without even consulting me.

Tears filled my eyes as I glared up to Komui. He fidgeted under my glare, as if he could feel how much I hated him at that moment. But suddenly, he looked very calm, with a small smile resting on his lips. He reached out his hand to put on my shoulder, but I immediately knocked it away. It did not affect his composer at all. "Alicia, I know this will be hard to understand, but I need you to hear me out," my glare intensified. How could I believe his words? They could all be lies.

Just like every other thing in my life. My image of my father was a lie; my image of the world was a lie… the world being a calm, peaceful place was blown away by the wild currents of the wind. It was as if my life was being flipped over, again and again, just like the wind that I feel rushing across my face. How could something so peaceful ruin my look on existence? It was not as if anything had truly changed, so why does this damned wind have to be so important? Why do I have to be able to control it? Why do I have to have the innocence?

Komui merely sighed in response to my harsh look. "I am one of the few people in the Order that keep in contact with your father," my glare lessoned slightly, but it was still present. News about my father was comforting to a point, but I could not forgive this man just yet. He seemed to gain hope. "You believe me, right?" His smile grew, and I found that seeing his smile was faultering. How could someone smile at a time like this? Komui looked down to his desk. Slowly, he reached his hand out towards the photos. "Sometimes… sometimes he brought me pictures of you. You know, to show me how you're growing-,"

"You expect me to believe that, Mr. Komui?" as I spoke, I was frustrated that I couldn't sound any madder at him. Komui slowly nodded his head, to which I shook mine in return. "That can't be. I've never seen you before. why would you want to see how I've grown?"

"I have seen you before," Komui's eyes seemed to sparkle at his words. I was taken aback by his composer. He continued. "I've seen you as a baby… a tiny, little thing with a patch of brown hair on your little head! You were in Allen's arms, and… and he cried at that moment for he blamed himself harshly for not knowing what to name you…"

Fresh tears filled my eyes at Komui's words. My mouth twitched as it tried to form a smile, but I bit my lip to prevent it. "You knew my father well…"

"Yes. I met him the day he showed up on our doorstep, asking to become an exorcist for the Black Order. The day he left, I begged him to keep in contact with me, even if he wouldn't with anyone else. Since then, I've gotten pictures from him every year,"

I lowered my head, trying to hide the tears that fell from my face. "You're saying that father took those pictures himself?"

"No… Yes. He did. He would either hide the camera as he took it, or set it up with a timer… he knew that you shouldn't know about the pictures,"

My fist clenched at his words. "Apparently, I shouldn't know about any of this. Akuma, the Black Order, innocence, creepy stalkers…" I raised my head to stare Komui in the eye. "What else am I missing, Mr. Komui?"

Komui smiled sadly, shaking his head in a knowing way. "He was waiting until you turned ten… eight is such a young age. I'm sure he'll be devastated to find out you know already. He wanted to tell you himself," Komui looked puzzled for a moment. He turned to me with a confused look. "How do you know about all this anyway?"

I looked away from Komui. It was not a question I was completely willing to answer. What was I to tell him? I met Lavi and Timothy, who had two different views of the situation, and found out information from them. Or maybe I should mention Reynaldo… neither seemed like viable answers. It didn't seem to fit it at all. Of course, when a question is placed in front of you that you are not willing to answer: improvise. I looked at Komui with a type of skepticism. "Father already wanted me to go with him. He begged me every day before he left the village to, apparently, look for innocence. Besides, what was father going to tell me?"

Komui leaned on his desk, picking up a picture and smiling down at its contents. "Well, he said something about exposing you to the idea at a younger age, but he wasn't going to actually take you until ten. About what he was going to tell you; He was going to start with his childhood, how he became how he is now, and why he ended up at the Black Order. He was going to slowly work in Akuma and the sort, then finally talk about your mother…" Komui frowned suddenly. He placed the picture down and looked away, as if he just couldn't bare his thoughts. "Such a secret… I couldn't believe they would hide it from me. Of course I was furious beyond belief, but look at the outcome," Komui finally smiled again, motioning to me with a look of pride in his eyes. "I absolutely adore cute little people!"

I blushed. I didn't want to, but a compliment was a compliment. And as what always comes with blushing, a small smile and giggle escaped from me. I blinked and shook my head to try to get it away from me, but I just couldn't. I had no choice but to give in. With a small smile still on my lips, I asked Komui one of my most frustrating questions. "Do you know who my mother is?"

"Of course I do," Komui stated. My heart skipped a beat, and I almost jumped out of my own skin with glee. "I've known her well," I waited eagerly, but nothing else came from Komui's mouth. He blinked at me and smiled knowingly. "No, I will not tell you. Your father has to tell you,"

I gasped at his words. "What? Not you too!" I sat down in his comfortable red chair, giving my most adorable pouting face. After a second of cute pouting, I straightened myself into a dignified pose. I subconsciously reminded myself to keep a mature look about me, much to my childish selfishness.

Komui chuckled lightly. He reached down into his desk and pulled out one more pictures from his file. He studied it for a moment before he sighed. "This was taken… about a year before Allen, your father, disappeared. It was taken at the Pena Mansion in Spain. He was assigned a mission there to protect a young sick girl while Central searched for innocence,"

He handed me the photo, which I took hesitatively as I asked. "Central… sounds familiar. Who is Central?"

"Our higher ups. They run the Black Order, technically, though we pretty much run ourselves most of the time," I nodded at his words before I finally looked at the picture. My heart pounded erratically, not sure whether to speed up or slow down. In the picture I saw my father, around Jason's age. He was sitting in the middle of a circular bed with his legs crossed. Timcanpy was on his shoulder, looking only slightly smaller than he was now. He was smiling in a goofy way, with his eyes closed and his mouth ajar as if he was laughing.

Next to father was Reynaldo, who was smiling so big that it almost didn't seem natural. He was standing in front of the bed, his hands in his pockets in a nonchalant way. He was wearing the same hat that he was wearing now, and he seemed to be proud at that moment.

What really caught my attention was the girl who was sitting on the edge of the bed. Her shoulders were squared, and her legs were crossed in the low, elegant way. Her head was tilted to the right slightly, her chin tilted up slightly. She looked like she was made for the camera; her skin was glowing and not a single thing about her seemed flawed. Her smile was truly breathtaking, and she seemed to take command of the whole picture because of such. I recognized the woman in the picture: it was Reynaldo's sister.

I slowly looked up to Komui, who was obviously reading my every move. I tilted my head ever so slightly. "Why are you showing me this…?"

Komui straightened his posture, holding a professional look about himself. "I was wondering if you knew what your father's life was like before,"

I blinked at his statement. '_Do I really have such little knowledge?'_ I thought as I looked back to the photo. Could it be that all I know… is just a worthless fraction of his existence? As I looked at the photo, many questions appeared. Why was father laughing? Was father always so informal with his missions? Was he really close to the people in the Black Order? Was Timcanpy always around?

As I stared at the picture, I began to focus on Reynaldo. I couldn't remember if he mentioned this before. By this, I mean how father was _assigned _to look after his sister. When did his relationship with her start? How long did it last? When did it end? Where did I come in in any of this…?

I looked back to Komui, my heart aching with questions. I wanted answers. I wanted them badly. Komui looked at my pained faced, and worry stretched across his. He walked across the room to a large grey book at the shelf. He pulled it out and blew across the top of it. Dust could be seen from all the way on my side of the room. He brought it back to the desk and dropped it in front of me.

I looked at the book skeptically. I was about to ask a question when I read the cover of the book. 'Code: Gray-man'… what did that mean? I carefully reached out and placed my hand on the cover. As I turned it, I could feel the tired, old book nearly crumbling into pieces. I carefully placed the cover to the side and read the title page.

Code: Gray-man

TOP SECRET

For special agents eyes only

I looked up to Komui with confusion in my eyes. He smiled at me and motioned for me to continue. I turned to the next page and began to read out loud.

"Chapter one: Presetting- a basic understanding… Subject was born with a deformed arm and abandoned by his parents… met a man by the name of Mana, who worked as a clown for a traveling circus. Mana took him in and raised him as his foster father. The name given to him was that of a dog that passed away who had been his only friend- what is this?" I cried as I looked up to Komui. "This is… this is so sad…"

Komui's eyes showed a type of sorrow that I couldn't quite understand. He reached down and whipped a tear off my cheek. I gasped, not even realizing it was there in the first place. I rubbed my arm across my face to quickly dry the tears. They still didn't stop flowing. I couldn't tell why. Why was I crying so much?

"That's your father's story. Grey is a mixture of black and white. Your father has many secrets, Alicia, and this book holds almost all of them," Komui cooed as he rubbed my back. My lips began to quiver and more tears fell from my eyes. "Do you want to keep reading?" Komui's question barely reached me. When I finally realized what he asked, I slowly nodded my head.

_**/O\**_

A white cloak flowing in the wind took all of my attention as I peered over the city of London. It was strangely exhilarating to see the cloak flying in the wind before the city. From the man who wore that cloak, I felt his confidence radiating around him. He had the power to do this. I was given the opportunity to join him. It was what we had hoped for; but not at all this soon.

Also, I had hoped that it would be Allen with me at this moment. As I walked to his side a caught a glimpse of his face from the corner of my eye, I noticed the creamy colors that dominated his pupils. It would seem that Neah was still in control.

"I know we've all waited a long time for this," his voice was distinct, and appeared almost alien coming from Allen's mouth. He turned towards me with his large, almost cocky smile. "You and me… and Allen. I'm sorry it had to be this way, but I know that Allen wouldn't be able to handle this right now… I _know_," I blinked in curiosity as Neah turned his head to the side as he spoke his last sentence. It was as if he wasn't speaking to me at all. I flicked the hat on my head before I pointed to him accusingly.

"Why the urgency? Allen and I had planned this to take place in at least two more years,"

Neah nodded presently, the smile still apparent on his face. He held out his left arm, studying its claws curiously as he spoke. "Yes, two more years… to be exact, one year from next month. The girl you are looking for would be ten by then,"

"Ten…" I stated curiously as I rubbed my temple. I was confused for the most part. With Neah's views on the subject, it had been established that Allen did had some type of communication with this girl. It was also important enough for Neah to take Allen's place in case of a panic attack. But I just couldn't place two and two together. I knew it was right in front of me… "Why ten?"

Neah seemed indifferent as he scanned the horizon of London. After a moment, he finally spoke. "He thinks she's too fragile to handle the situation. My sources tell me the opposite… I've tried to tell him he has no choice since she's no longer under the protection of the village,"

I scratched my head slightly as I tried to find what Neah was looking for across the horizon. "I guess Allen's just got a soft spot for kids… why are she so important anyway?"

Neah blinked forcibly. He took his eyes away from London and studied me curiously. "Do you not remember, brother?"

I shook my head slowly. It was slightly uncomfortable to be called brother by Neah. Sure, he was the actual brother in the situation, but I have not known him like I've known others. Thinking of such, I realized how I could answer him. "I don't remember my other lives. I feel as if it has been blocked out. I only remember bits and pieces… just what is considered necessary, I believe,"

I expected him to complain, or to speak of what I may need to know from the past. I didn't expect him to do as he did.

"Sad…" he muttered as he placed his hand on my shoulder. I curiously looked up to him. On his face was a small smile, his features revealing his sadness. In his eyes I found him to be sincere, for they seemed full of regret and sorrow. "It may be for the best that you do not know. I'm sure you are not thinking of the same situation I am. Though we shared many found memories as brothers, I am glad you do not know of my downfall…"

I was speechless at his words. He moved away from me, holding his arms out to the sky. I stared at the ground, wondering of his words and their meanings. I remembered the story the Millennium Earl told to me, and wondered briefly if Neah was more connected to the story than I thought.

"Hello there, Timcanpy," I heard Neah cooed in front of me. "I think it's time you went and said hi… Allen is with Tyki now, so you are not required in order for communication. Be careful, little Golem, stay in the shadow's, and locate Alicia!" I looked up in time to see Timcanpy flying away from Neah's arms.

"Alicia…" I wondered as I tried to remember the familiarity of her name. "That sounds awfully close to-"

A long, detached sigh distracted me from my boggling. I saw Allen place his clawed hand against his distressed face. "This is all a mess, Neah. I just can't take this stress… If anything happens to her, I'm gonna-!"

I leaned forwards slightly, weary of his reaction. "Allen?"

Allen looked at me curiously. A look of understanding washed over him and he gave a simple nod. "Yeah, it's me…well; I know what Neah said today, but… I think I need to take a day to take everything in before we do this…"

I smiled slightly. "Good to have you back, brother,"

Allen gave a small smile. "Yeah… Good to be back, Tyki,"

_**/O\**_

_Allen threw up a rock and caught it. '__**An Akuma blew up the west wing**__,' Allen thought as he tossed up the rock again. '__**I guess we're just lucky he attacked the wrong side… Cilicia was in the east wing,**__' Allen tossed up the rock and caught it again. '__**After I brought salvation to its soul, they told me to wait here… until either Lord Pena came back, or someone came out that door…**__' _

_Allen threw up his rock again. He repeated this act 3,456 times before the door to Cilicia's room opened. Out walked the same maid that Cilicia had saved, crying into a handkerchief. She was a French woman, with long blonde hair and a dainty face. She turned to look at Allen, who sat up from the long couch he had been waiting on for hours. _

_The women took a step back and shook her head at him. "I thought you were supposed to protect her!" she cried into her handkerchief, speaking in perfect English. "Now… Now I don't even know if she'll wake up… Et c'est votre défaut entier!" she ran off in the opposite direction. Allen held out his hand, though he knew she would not see his pleading. '__**And it's your entire fault…**__' Allen thought as he slowly lowered his hand, wondering himself if it was his fault. The phrase repeated itself over and over in his head. '__**Et c'est votre défaut entier**__'… '__**and it's your entire fault'**__… It could have been. If he was there, maybe nobody would have been hurt. Guilt washed over Allen. '__**Maybe… maybe she's right. It is my fault. I was distracted… I didn't see the Akuma coming…' **_

_Another person walked out of Cilicia's room, whipping his head with a rag as he exited. "Well, Walker," Reynaldo Pena's voice reached Allen's detached ears. Allen looked towards him without looking at him, feeling as if he did not have the right to. "We've seen this before. She had woken up in an hour, though… it's been quite a few,"_

"_Is it my fault?" Allen muttered as he looked down at his feet. "Is it because I wasn't there…? Is it because I didn't…" Allen reached up to touch his left eye. It was truly a curse, especially when everyone expected so much from one person. His hand closed into a fist in front of his eye. He cursed himself for being as foolish as a child… why did he turn the only person who had ever cared for him, even if it was under selfish conditions, into something so horrible and cruel…_

_Reynaldo raised an eyebrow at Allen. "I heard you were cursed…" Reynaldo walked towards Allen, watching him carefully. "That's why you have that scar, isn't it?"_

_Allen gave a solemn nod. "I can see the souls that are attached to the Akuma… the poor, tortured souls. I have dedicated my life to bring salvation to those souls…"_

_Reynaldo took a seat next to Allen with a drawn out sigh. "Well, Walker… No," Allen looked to Reynaldo with puzzlement. Reynaldo whipped his forehead again. "I don't think that eye of yours would've made a difference. The West wing is far away from Cilicia's room, and it may have been worse… you and Link were in the hallway that had the least stuff that could hurt you. If you were in the room, who knows how much you would be hurt,"_

"_What does it matter how hurt I was?" Allen looked over to Reynaldo with a small glare. "And if Link was in there, he would've been able to treat the lady. He knows more medical stuff than I do…"_

"_You don't get it, do you?" Reynaldo leaned back on the arm of the chair. "Cilicia passed out because she helped the maid. If she were aware that you or Link were hurt in any way, she would've stressed to keep herself awake while she treated you as well," _

_Allen looked down at the floor again. He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. The question bugged him, and he had to know the truth. "Why were you the one to contact the Black Order?" Allen received no answer. He looked up to Reynaldo, whose face was being held up by the palm of his hand. He seemed to be in deep thought. Allen looked down at his hands. "I heard only seconds before the explosion that she is to be married… if that's true, then why isn't she already married and being protected by him-"_

"_Because Cilicia doesn't love him," Reynaldo's words made Allen look up from his hands. Confusion was apparent on his face as Reynaldo continued. "Of course, that isn't the reason she's not with him now, but it would've been enough for me," Reynaldo sighed as he leaned his head into his hand. "In front of our father, she was pleased and happy at the arrangement," Reynaldo began to rub his temple as he spoke. "And she may have been, at first… They went on a date together, not too far away… she came back to me in fear. She claimed that he ordered these… __**demons**__ to go after her. She was afraid to tell father; he wouldn't have listened anyway. He had the same problem with our eldest sister. She claimed that the man himself was a demon so that she wouldn't have to marry him. That claim turned out not to be true, so Cilicia knew that our Father wouldn't listen to her,"_

_Allen glared at his hands. "I'd believe her," he muttered. Reynaldo raised his head, looking to Allen with a new found curiosity. "I'd believe Cilicia… I'd believe her if she told me that she saw a pig fly, or that the sun disappeared. I'd… just believe her,"_

_Reynaldo lifted his head and smiled to Allen. "You're the one,"_

_Allen blinked at Reynaldo's sudden statement. "Eh?"_

"_You're the one I've been waiting for. I knew it for a while now… Allen, can you do me the greatest favor of all time?" Allen looked to Reynaldo as if he was a mad man. Had he not just failed at his soul mission? Didn't Cilicia just get hurt? But he saw in Reynaldo's eyes pure hope; hope like non he had ever truly seen before. He nodded without question, feeling as if he was fit to fulfill any mission put before him. Reynaldo smiled. "Allen Walker, will you please… will you always love my sister? Always have a special place in your heart just for her?"_

_Allen gasped, his face turning a bright shade of red. "I-i…" Allen stuttered at what to say. How could he answer such questions, when not too long ago he had kissed her lips, and betrayed the woman who he was supposed to love exclusively?_

"_Allen, I'm asking you to take care of Cilicia for me," Allen stopped stuttering at Reynaldo's words. "Whatever it takes, please, put her before yourself. I know it's selfish of me, but I want my sister happy… and she's happy with you. I can't stand what my father is doing to her, but if she has someone by her side who she can express all her feelings too… then I can swallow my pride until all this has blown over…" _

_Allen slowly began to shake his head, unsure of how to react. But slowly, as he thought of the beautiful young woman in the other room, he began to nod his head. "Yea… yes. I… I love Cilicia,"_

_Reynaldo's smile was from ear to ear. He slapped Allen on his shoulders. "I knew it! I __**hoped**__ it. I know you will take care of her… but I'm not asking you to forget about Lenalee," Reynaldo looked Allen in his eyes. "I guess I have a twisted way of thinking, but I want you to stay with your girlfriend… I'm sure Cilicia wouldn't want to get between the two of you either,"_

_Allen gave a crooked smile. "I… I guess I can make it work… have you ever loved two people before?"_

"_Oh, no. I've never loved two people at one time… maybe three or five, but never really two. Amazing how that works out, isn't it? Of course, they always seem to know each other…" Reynaldo took a deep thinking pose, which caused Allen to chuckle. Reynaldo smirked and smacked Allen's back in a brotherly manner. "Thank you Allen. I know that whenever I'm not around, she'll be okay. While she's in her weak condition now, while she is sick, while Akuma are attacking and maybe even in the future,"_

_Allen bit his lip as he took in the information. Something else was still bothering him. He looked at Reynaldo from the corner of his eye. "About that… I think I need some answers. What about that power she has? You've seen it before? And what about her illness? She had supposedly been sick when the Akuma started attacking,"_

"_She is sick, but… in all truth, it's not a natural sickness. She's sick because of father," Reynaldo glared at the floor. He began to grit his teeth. "He-"_

"_Where is my daughter? Is she alright? And what the hell happened to __**my house**__? I demand to know!" Allen looked away from Reynaldo to see Lord Pena stomping down the halls. The servants parted as he made his way directly towards Allen. Allen stood up, as to meet Lord Pena, but he received a sharp pain across his cheek. "__**'Protect my daughter'! 'Better than your best'**__! You shameful, pitiful excuse of an Exorcist! I have the right mind to-"Lord Pena lifted his hand again, but it would never meet Allen's cheek. The man gave out an exasperated gasp as his forearm was squeezed painfully. _

_Allen's face was hidden by his white hair. From behind his hair, Lord Pena saw him give a small smirk. But then again, was it really Allen behind the smirk? Sure, his appearance and figure were the same, but the man behind those cream colored eyes was not Allen Walker. "__**Did you know, Lord Pena, that Allen was not informed of Lady Cilicia's strange power?**__" As Allen spoke, his voice seemed less and less like his own. Lord Pena fidgeted in his grasp. Allen lifted his head, revealing his cold eyes as he raised an eyebrow at the Lord. "__**I think you give Allen Walker too much credit. It's not like he can read minds or stop natural disasters. He cannot cure the sick or walk on water. He was given a simple task of watching a sickly girl, and protecting her from Akuma. Now, maybe if you told him more about the girl, like how she is being possessed by another being, he could've-**__"_

"_Allen," Link's sharp voice reached the ears of the one who should've been Allen Walker. Allen turned his head slightly with an arched eyebrow. Link stood in the doorway of the room, glaring at Allen's form. "Let Lord Pena go," Link ordered with venom laced through his voice. Allen's face showed slight amusement at Link's flustered appearance. He seemed to be completely turned upside-down. He could tell Link was struggling to keep a hold of himself._

"_**And you knew more than Allen did, too**__," Allen tilted his head. He was not fooled by Link's calm and collected nature. He knew that the man he was looking at was not at all truthful in his ways. I guess you could say that he didn't trust him. "__**I could tell you purposely didn't tell him. You sure do-**__"_

"_Let Lord Pena go!" Link yelled, his voice traveling through the halls of the mansion. It became deadly quiet. The air had become still as people refused to breath. It was if all sound had been taken from the earth._

_Slowly, Allen gave a wide grin. "__**Okay,**__" Lord Pena was then thrown across the hall, hitting the wall so forcefully that it cracked. Allen walked over to the Lord and kneeled down to his level. "__**I'm not usually so vulgar,**__" He chuckled as he flicked Lord Pena's collar playfully. "__**Don't blame Allen for this, this was all my doing. Hm, Cilicia should be waking soon. Maybe next time you should inform someone completely before…**__ Oh my God! Lord Pena, what happened?" Allen's natural voice flowed to the ears of the bystanders. Everyone stared wide eyed at Allen as he fumbled over what he was doing. He reacted out his hand to Lord Pena. "Here, let me help you up,"_

_Lord Pena was visibly shaking as he accepted Allen's hand. As Allen pulled Lord Pena up, a small cough was heard at the door. Everyone turned to see Cilicia's small frame standing in the doorway. "Is everything okay?" she asked lightly as she coughed again. _

"_Cilicia!" Reynaldo cried as he wrapped his large arms around his younger sister. Cilicia looked towards Allen curiously before returning Reynaldo's hug._

_**/O\**_

"Now, no more of that," Komui slammed the book closed, almost squishing my nose in the process. I yelped as a cloud of dust exploded in my face. The dust flew into the air entered my lungs, and I gagged at the unpleasant feeling. Rubbing my arm across my face to dry the tears that were still fresh on my face, I looked to Komui with a displeased glare.

"What are you doing?" I yelled at Komui as he struggled to lift the heavy book back on the shelf where he found it from. He was completely engrossed in it, and may not have been listening to me. I raised my voice in frustration. "I was reading that! I thought you wanted me to know about father!"

Komui gave a satisfied sigh as the book found its way on the shelf. He turned back to me confidently, pushing up his glasses in a know-it-all kind of way. "You have learned enough for one day. I'm sure Allen will be frustrated as it is, being that you know about Akuma and the sort before he could even tell you himself,"

"Mr. Komui, this isn't fair. I am mature enough to know this… and I have the right to know about my father!" I watched Komui with steady eyes as I voiced my opinion. He merely smiled my way and began to wave me off.

"I'll have none of that, missy!" he cooed at me playfully. He walked back to me and began collecting the photos on his desk. His smile seemed saddened as he picked up each picture carefully. "I need to clean up… people would question these pictures; especially the ones with Allen in them. And I wouldn't hear the end from Lenalee if she saw pictures of you. And you… Goodness, girl, you need to go change out of that night gown!"

I blushed as I looked down at my clothing. At first all I saw was my black leather coat that Ms. Leona had given me, at which I smiled down at with knowing eyes. But upon further inspection, I saw the long light pink color of the nightgown I was wearing the night before. It was true that I really should change out of it, because it wasn't healthy for a young woman to walk around in her nightclothes now, was it?

Of course, a major question appeared in my mind. 'What would I wear?' I pondered as I swung my legs back and forth. As an idea appeared in my head, I looked up to Komui with a small smile. "Well, I guess I do need to change, Mr. Komui… do you have any cute outfits like Ms. Lenalee's?"

Komui blinked at me with curious eyes. "Well… they are hand made by Johnny, who is one of the scientists of the order,"

"Why does the Order need scientist?" I asked with true curiosity. Komui smiled down at me, probably thinking 'oh, naive little girl!' he reached over and patted my head.

"Because the Exorcist needs us so that they can understand their innocence and how to better handle it," I blinked at Komui as he began to slip the pictures back into their original files. I giggled, which attracted Komui's attention. He looked at me curiously as I continued to giggle.

"You didn't seem like a scientist to me, Mr. Komui," I explained as I stood up from his chair. He looked slightly offended, but I continued speaking before he could interject. "Do you know where I can find Mr. Johnny so that I can ask about a change of clothes?"

Komui sucked in air as he wondered a bit. He collected some papers from his desk and tapped them to straighten them out before he spoke. "Maybe you should check the cafeteria. I'm sure that's the first place he'll be heading now that Lavi is back,"

I laughed awkwardly at what Komui had said. He raised an eyebrow at me as I did such. He placed the papers on his desk and motioned to the red sofa across from him. I walked across the room to the red sofa and sat in it properly. He sat in his desk with a light sigh. "Okay, tell me what's going on,"

And then I had to decide. Would I tell him the truth and all of the truth? Would I lie, saying something complete off the wall insane? 'No…' I thought finally, straitening my back as I prepared myself for my decision. 'He needs to know this,'

"Mr. Komui… Mr. Lavi one of the reasons I know so much about Akuma," I stated in a rush. Komui raised an eyebrow at me. Before he could speak, I continued. "I've met Mr. Lavi and Mr. Timothy, and both of them know that I'm looking for my father. They don't know who my father is, but I think it would be strange for them to see me now…"

"I see…" Komui nodded at my explanation. He did not speak to me, and I found myself in an awkward predicament. I tried very hard to avoid eye contact, but it was to no avail. From the look in his eyes, I realized he was waiting for me to finish. He knew I wasn't done. With a deep sighed, I continued. "And… I also met that man in the picture, Mr. Reynaldo…"

Komui's eyes became wide at my words. He pulled out the picture from his desk and looked at it in a panic. He pointed at Reynaldo and stuttered. "T-this man?" I nodded slowly for Mr. Komui's sake. I could tell he was taking this pretty hard. He gulped loudly. With a forced smile, he asked "What-what did he tell you?"

I blinked curiously at Mr. Komui. "He told me that Father had loved his sister. He told me that he abandoned his name and took my father's… he wouldn't tell me what I wanted to know, only what he thought was appropriate, I guess,"

Komui took a deep sigh as a look of relief appeared on his face. "Good, good… I guess that means your father has already spoken to him," he mumbled what seemed to be only meant for him. I ignored it, motioning down to my dress with a light smile.

"I was staying with Uncle Rey at the hotel that gave me this nightgown. I'm sure he's very worried about me,"

Komui nodded as he made his way towards me. he turned me around and found the tag on the back of the gown. "Ohhh, fancy," Komui chuckled as he made his way back to his desk. "Yes, I'll call him immediately. You should still change, though. It wouldn't be too much of a problem if you ran into Lavi. Tell him the truth; you witnessed a lot of death's last night, and my darling Lenalee took you in!"

I sighed lightly, realizing that I forgot the most important part of the story. I didn't mention it though. I turned away walked out of Komui's office.

Once I was a little ways away, I sighed inwardly. "I couldn't tell him, Tobi," I muttered as I stroked my golem's folded-in wings. "And it's the things I didn't tell him that are the reason I can't see Mr. Lavi or Mr. Timothy…"

I felt Tobi unravel from my neck. I gasped as Tobi jumped in front of my vision. "What's wrong, Tobi?" I asked as I reached out to his small form. "You haven't revealed yourself since we got here-"

Before I could finish my pondering, Tobi zoomed down the hall in front of me. I gasped at his urgency and followed close behind. He took sharp turns, leading me through strange hallways that seemed to go on forever, with door lining each hallway from beginning to end. Tobi took a left turn, but as I turned to follow I ran into something hard. With a squeal I fell to the ground, immediately noticing Tobi's wing's fluttering around my neck. I opened my eyes and looked forward to see the man with the strange glasses on the ground in front of me. I knew right away that it was Johnny. He blinked at me as he looked down at me, holding a small box over his head as if he knew that I would run into him. Slowly he gave a wide smile. "I was just looking for you!" he cried as he held out his hand to help me up. I slowly took his hand as minor confusion washed over me.

"You were?" I asked as I found myself quickly back on my feet. Do amazing coincidences fill this building?

He nodded excitedly. "Yes! My name is Johnny; I'm a scientist for the Order. I'm… sorry to intrude, but I couldn't help but notice how you were only wearing a nightgown before and… well, here!"

He held out a small box to me. I received the box with a small 'thank you' and opened the top with care. I blinked lightly at the contents of the box. I looked up to Johnny with confusion on my face. "How did you…?"

"Komui called me when I barely began making it," Johnny smiled brightly to me. "It was short notice to begin with, so I took an older version uniform and fixed it up a bit. That's why it's silver and not red. I also took notice that you seem to like your overcoat, so I figured that you would like the style…"

I sat the box on the floor and pulled out a black and silver coat. The part that zipped up ended around my abdomen, and the bottom of the coat flared out slightly. I could tell that it was greatly modified to fit my small body. What shocked me the most was the Rose Cross on its front. I looked up to Johnny with curious eyes. "This is for me?"

Johnny nodded heavily. "Yep. Do you like it?"

I looked back to the coat with great awe. My eyes drifted down to the box again, where I saw a skirt and leggings to match. I also saw a part of small black shoes, and a white tank top. I bit my lip before looking back to Johnny. "I'm not part of the Order…" I muttered quietly, finding myself embarrassed to be showered with such an amazing gift that may be for the wrong reason.

Johnny shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant way, catching me off guard. "Whether you are or not, it doesn't matter. We are all family here anyway. Besides, no one will think you're part of us because of that uniform; it's out of date!" He kneeled down to my level. "As long as you're here, I promise you, everyone is going to treat you as one of us," Johnny nudged me. "You better get used to it!"

I smiled brightly up to Johnny. "Thank you!" I giggled as I folded the outfit and placed it back in the box. "Do you know where I can change?"

"Sure" he motioned behind him. "I'll lead the way," I skipped alongside Johnny with glee. He went to turn a left, but stopped short and snapped his fingers. "I almost forgot!" he muttered to himself. I looked up to him with a confused stare. He smiled down to me, a light blush across his cheeks. "I forgot to ask your name!"

I giggled at his revelation. With a smile on my face that could be seen from outer space, I answered. "My name is Alicia. Alicia Ally,"

**I'm not gonna lie, most of it is filler for not being able to think of how to reunite Alicia and Allen. The part I love the most about this chapter is the flashback, which I think is truly amazing! **

**If you'd please, I don't mind taking suggestions on what you'd like in the story. I welcome it! Next chapter I finally have some humor, though it makes them look kinda of silly. ^^**

**Next chapter is also CRAZY long. That's what happens when you leave writers block ^u^ I'm so excited for it, too! This chapter is not as well written as I would like, so the next fixes it! **

**But suggestions are nice! First priority is to get the story back rolling onto the main plot! Woohoo!**

**BTW, a new Poll is up, just for fun!**

**REVIEW!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hehe… 4****th**** of July update…**

**13,665 words! Told you it would be long! This is going to be my favorite chapter! ^^**

**I have a new profile picture, though I kind liked the other one better. That poll is still up, for people who would like to tell me their opinion. So far in the popularity contest, Alicia is in first place with 2 votes, and everyone else is tied for last with 0… Don't make them cry guys! Haha**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this! I'm still worried as to whether or not I covered everything, but we'll see.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC's and the current plot!**

**Enjoy everyone!**

"Hello, this is Hotel le lieu de la paix! How may I assist you?"

"Hello, I'm trying to contact a guest of yours. It is a man by the name of Reynaldo Pena," Komui took off his glasses and scratched his temple as he waited for the receptionist to respond. '_Reynaldo, huh?'_ Komui smiled slightly. '_It's right of him to keep her with him. He's bond to run into Allen at some point._' Komui waited patiently as the woman on the line looked through her information. After some shuffling of paper, he finally got a reply.

"Well, Sir, I'm sorry to inform you, but there is no one by the name of Reynaldo Pena checked into our establishment,"

Komui blinked in shook. He wondered slightly if Reynaldo had packed up and left. Did he have such a heart as to abandon her? Komui cleared his throat. "Is it possible that he has already checked out?"

"I'm sorry, sir. No one by that name has ever checked in,"

Komui let out a frustrated sigh. He knew that Alicia was at that hotel before, so how could Reynaldo have never been there? He searched through his memory, hoping to remember something useful. "Okay, um… oh!" Komui snapped his fingers. "How about under the name Walker?"

"W-Walker?" The woman seemed to hesitate for a moment. Komui eyes his phone in confusion. "One moment, sir," The woman finally answered. He heard the phone being placed down and the receptionist's footsteps as she walked away. Komui gritted his teeth impatiently as he waited for the receptionist to come back. He knew that Reynaldo had to be there, Alicia had told him so. He couldn't just leave her to fend for herself, right? _'No,'_ Komui thought. _'He had cared for his sister too much. There is no way he'd be so cold hearted.'_

"Sir," the receptionist interrupted Komui's deep thoughts. "I have in fact found a man by the name of Walker in our establishment, but, I can assure you, it is not the man called Reynaldo you are looking for,"

"A Walker that isn't Reynaldo?" Komui questioned. An excited smile appeared across his lips. "Who is it?"

"Um…" The receptionist seemed to fumble with more paper. "I'm not at liberty to release that information, sir. I'm to help you find who you're looking for, but I cannot just tell you everyone in our hotel,"

Komui almost growled, but calmed himself down as he reached for his coffee and took a sip. _'She's covering up for him,'_ Komui smiled before he calmly spoke into the phone. "Actually, ma'am, I do have the authority. I am the head scientist of the Black Order, Komui Lee. This Hotel is under the Order's protection and jurisdiction,"

There was a slight silence and more fumbling of papers before Komui heard the receptionist's voice again. "I'm sorry, Mr. Lee," the receptionist cried, her voice seeming hesitant. "The room is actually a suite, and is actually owned by a Hotel Star Member. Star members have special perks with our hotel branch. Their account can be used by anyone they give permission to use, so their friends or family can use their name to stay at our hotels. They also can have many members stay under one account name at a time. This account is under the name of A. Walker. Yesterday, there were two staying under this name. Today, there are three guests,"

'_Is this a coincidence?_' Komui thought as he rummaged through his desk. He pulled out a file of the Hotel and studied it for a second. Suddenly, a smug smile appeared on Komui's face. "Ms.," Komui stated. "I'd like to speak to the owner of this suit. That is who I'm looking for,"

"Y-Yes sir. Shall I tell him who is calling?"

"No… no. Just get him on the phone, please,"

_**/O\**_

I watched as Allen walked casually in front of me, with his hands inside the pockets of his uniform. It was a curious thing to see him in such a comfortable state. I had grown accustomed to being with him at night while he cheated drunken men out of their hard earned money; or in some cases, Akuma out of their stolen money. Today, it seemed as though he was a totally different person. He walked out in broad daylight, his head held high, as if he didn't care if he was spotted by the Order or not. But then again, I guess it wouldn't matter as he wore his General coat, for hiding in plain sight is the best way to hide, right? But he seemed so care free that it caught me off guard. He was smiling brightly, letting his guard down for what could have been many Akuma attacks, though both he and I could tell if they were Akuma or not. But it seemed as though he couldn't be bothered. He was just in a good mood.

A small child ran by us and tripped over a large rock. Allen caught his arm before he landed face first. "Be careful," Allen called. "If you get hurt, you can't play anymore," Allen smiled at the young boy as he regained his balance. The boy huffed.

"The ground can't hurt me! I hurt the ground!" the child roared as loud as he could as he stomped away. Allen chuckled as he did so, turning away without a second thought on the subject.

Yet, I found myself frustrated by the boy's actions. "Someone needs to learn manors" I huffed as I tugged the collar around my neck. I heard Allen chuckle, and I raised an eyebrow in reaction.

"Young boys are stubborn, and they don't really know how to say thank you sometimes. In a way, that was his thank you," The look in Allen's eyes as he spoke made my chest burn. Not in a heart-burn type of way, but in a tingling way that said 'what you just witnessed meant so much'. The fuzzy feeling was pleasant, but the high-classed gentlemen in me scoffed at Allen.

"Nonsense," I said indifferently. "Young one's need to be taught manors early, so that they may grow into respectable adults in the future,"

"'Respectable Adults', huh?" Allen smirked at my words as if they were a mere joke. "I was a punk as a kid, you know,"

"No, I did not know. I actually thought that Mana had raised you better," I snapped my mouth shut a second too late. I didn't mean to mention his name, my mouth had moved on its own. I eyed Allen carefully, weary of his reaction, but it seemed to not faze him at all. In fact, the smile on his face nearly made me freeze solid.

"I think we should head to base." Allen spoke off of subject, causing almost all of my worries to slip away. He continued. "If we're gonna do this, we better start in the right place. I just don't understand what Neah want's from this… why do we have to do this now?"

I shrugged my shoulders at his questions. "I don't know, but the thought of stretching my arms and finally fighting back is amazing. Almost nine years in the making… Hey," I tilted my head as I looked questionably upon Allen. "Does it have anything to do with why you fainted back at the pub?"

Allen grimaced at my question. "Well…" Allen's voice seemed forced as he seemed to ponder the question. "Yes. Yes, I think that's why. But I don't know why I fainted," I left the answer to that. We arrived at the hotel which had been our base for some time. Hotel le lieu de la paix. French. Fancy. Allen walked to the counter with a smile. "Hello," Allen greeted as he handed the lady a piece of paper. She smiled back at him in a flirtatious way that almost made me laugh hysterically, but I nearly dropped my jaw as Allen smirked and raised his eyebrow in a similar, flirty way. The lady giggled before she fumbled with her work and handed the paper back to Allen.

"Welcome back, Mr. Walker," she cooed in his direction.

Allen's smirk didn't falter as he spoke. "Good to be back, Arlene," My eye's nearly bulged out of my head at that point. _'He knows… her first name?'_

"Oh, I almost forgot," Arlene blushed as she went back through her papers. "There is someone already checked into your room,"

"Really?" Allen asked, his face returning to his normal cluelessness. "Who?"

"Well, as you know, they are not required to give names as long as they have your permission. It was two people last night, but now I believe it's only one,"

"Oh," Allen began to chuckle. "With that explanation, I think I know who it is. Thanks' for the head's up, Arlene," Allen called as he turned and began heading for the stairs.

"Mr. Walker!" Arlene called before Allen could leave her sights. Allen turned, a curious look upon his face that I knew the woman would have found adorable. She smiled at him, a light blush on her face. "Um… will you be staying for a while? I was wondering if I could see you-"

At that point, I didn't even look to see how Allen reacted: In fact, I wouldn't let him react. I pushed him as hard as I could towards the stairs and made him walk up to his room. At the same time I heard a phone ring, and the receptionist slowly began fiddling with papers again.

"What's up with you?" Allen asked as we made it to our floor. He turned to me with a smirk. "Can't a guy have a little fun every once in a while?"

I almost growled in his direction as I fixed the hat on my head. "No, you may not,"

"What?"

"You heard me!"

"Wow, you must not get a lot,"

"Shut up!"

"Or maybe you're a virgin. I know that once you get it, you don't wanna stop,"

"I don't have to listen to this!" I screamed at Allen in my frustration. I couldn't believe the worlds that came out of Allen's mouth.

"Oh, relax!" Allen chuckled evilly. "Nothing is going on between me and Arlene. She likes me, sure, but I'm not the type to sleep around. I'm just readying you for this guy… He's been around the world and back. He's got some major foreign tail, and he's not afraid to share every detail,"

"Oh, lovely," I groaned sarcastically as I whipped my forehead clean with my handkerchief. "Uncivilized men and their ego's; I can't wait to meet him," I turned off the sarcasm and glared towards Allen. "Don't do stuff like that in front of me. It's strange… You're still sixteen in my mind,"

Allen chuckled as he placed his hand on the door to the room. Before he could turn it, the door swung open and a tan man lurched out at us. "Ali-!" he stopped short in front of us, his face covered in sweat and his eye's wide open as if he had seen a ghost. He eyed Allen for a moment, a curious/mystified look upon his face as his did so. He blinked twice before he spoke. "Al… Allen?" he cried, his eyes beginning to fill with water. Allen, shocked by the actions of the man, nodded very slowly.

"Hey, Rey!" Allen smiled, though it was obviously forced upon his face. The man seemed to have disturbed Allen greatly by his actions, which led me to the satisfying conclusion that the man did not always act as such. "Um… I'd like you to meet Tyki," he gestured towards me, taking the attention off himself as he tried to take in the situation. The man turned towards me in a cautious manor. I smiled and tipped my hat.

"Hello," I stated nonchalantly, feeling that the tension was already thick in the air.

"You're… a Noah," the man stated, and I could already feel the hatred swirling in the air. I was not in full Noah form, but I did not look like the human form that I would usually take. I simply hid my stigmata and changed my skin tone. If the man could already tell that I was a Noah… Well, this would not be too much of a pleasant meeting.

"He's on our side, Reynaldo," Allen interjected, raising his hand to steal back his attention. "Definitely," Allen stated before he shakily placed his right hand behind his head. I could sense that Allen felt awkward in this situation; as if this was the worst possible thing to do, and he was just realizing it now. I saw a spark in his eye, as if he just remembered something crucial. "Hey, uh… who were you about to call me?"

The man in front of us straightened his pose. His eye's looked urgent and filled with worry. The bags underneath them revealed that he had not slept the night before. He cleared his throat before he motioned for us to enter. "Please," he muttered barely above a whisper. "It'll be easier to speak inside,"

Allen would not move first. It was as if he was frightened by the man's words, so I took the liberty of taking the first steps inside. I blinked widely as I looked around the large room. There were two king sized beds, both unmade with cluttered sheets, and between them was a nightstand and broken glass on the floor. I turned to the man called Reynaldo. "What happened here?" I asked is horror. From Allen's previous description, I was expecting to hear something on the lines of 'Major, all-night Orgy with a date and the girls with the room next store.'

I was shocked to see Reynaldo looked away from me, as if he was ashamed to look into my eyes and answer. Allen walked in the room, talking as if he had not heard my question. "You were about to say Alice, right? Was that your date last night?" Allen stopped walking once he was next to me. All I could see on his face was pure confusion as he turned around to speak to Reynaldo. "Reynaldo, what…?"

The man called Reynaldo shook his head slowly. An air of disbelieve surrounded him. "Not an Alice…" he muttered as he closed the door. He took two steps towards us, but stopped as if he wouldn't dare to move further towards the glass. He shook his head. "I… I didn't have a date with me. She wasn't a date. I left to pick up innocence, and when I came back… she was gone,"

"Who is _she_?" Allen asked, his voice filled with pressing curiosity. I saw the stress he felt cover his face when Reynaldo didn't answer immediately. "Reynaldo, was it-?"

"I don't know why she left!" Reynaldo cried, the tears that had built up finally flowing down his cheeks. "I looked everywhere last night! I decided to come back here… I thought, maybe she'd come back. I heard your hand on the door knob and…" Reynaldo's eyes became wide as he dragged his feet towards the window, kicking away the broken glass that lay on the floor. "I don't know why… I was nice to her, Accepting of her, I took her with me here, and I gave her milk and tucked her into bed…"

Allen gripped Reynaldo's shoulder and spun him around forcefully. I saw fire in his eyes that I only saw when he fought to save the souls of the Akuma. Allen lifted his hand. "Dammit, Reynaldo. Tell me!" Allen slapped his hand across Reynaldo's check. The man stood in silence for a moment, his eyes wide as if he had just woken up from a nightmare. Slowly, his hand rose up and felt the side of his check where Allen's hand made contact.

"The Irony of this situation is almost refreshing," A smiled appeared on Reynaldo's face. "I guess I need some sleep, huh? I usually don't hold out information from you. The connection I made with her in a short period of time… I guess it just got to me. But you're here now. It's time for business," Reynaldo looked up to Allen, respect filling his eyes. I found myself with my own respect for this man, knowing that he believed in Allen as much as I did, and possibly more. With a deep sigh Reynaldo spoke again. "I take full responsibility for my actions, Allen. I understand that you will genuinely hate me for this, but I must accept what has come to pass. I had found Alicia a while back. I planned to hang out here with her until you showed up, but she's disappeared,"

"Wha…what?" Allen took a step back, a look of horror covering his face. I shared his horror as my eyes grew wide at his statement. Allen ranted. "You found her? She was here? How did she get here? When I looked for her, I went in the opposite direction-"

"She was looking for you, actually," Allen's expression changed to something that I couldn't describe. It was shook, but it also seemed as though he was happy. I couldn't put my finger on why, but as the legend flashed into my memory, I tried to ignore it. If Allen was happy, then there was nothing else to say.

The phone on the nightstand began to ring. The room became eerily quiet as it continued to vibrate the sound of the room. No one seemed to move for it, and it continued to ring. I looked to Allen, who shakily nudged his head towards the phone. I could understand his trouble; who would want to call this room? And with the information that was previously handed to us, it could only be bad news. With a sigh, I stepped around the broken glass and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" I said as I placed the phone to my ear.

"There is a call for Mr. Walker," Arlene's voice was heard from the speaker end of the phone. Her voice seemed to be filled with a type of hesitation. I raised an eyebrow as I looked towards Allen, hoping to find some sort of instruction as to what to do. He wasn't even looking at me; he seemed lost in his own thoughts. I agitatedly grinded my teeth together before I spoke.

"I'll take Mr. Walker's call," I stated in a final tone. I didn't hear her respond, but I did hear the line switch. It seemed silent for a moment. "Hello?" I called into the receiver of the phone, actually hoping to hear a voice.

"Hello, this is Komui Lee from the Black Order science department." My eyes became wide at the sound of his voice. I struggled to keep my composure in front of Allen, hoping that he wouldn't grow suspicious. If he were to get on the line, it may have been the end. "I believe I asked to speak with Mr. Walker," His voice broke me out of my thought.

I cleared my throat, hoping that after so many years, my voice wouldn't be recognizable at all. "Mr. Walker is out at the moment. You may leave your message to me,"

"What are you doing?" Reynaldo whispered harshly. "Say that he has the wrong number!" I held up my finger to him, finding that his words would be distracting if not annoying. I had thought of that, but I believed that saying such a thing would bring suspicions more than a way out of it.

The man on the phone chuckled. "Very well. Here is the message: There is a young lady here that we found last night after an Akuma sighting. She seemed very frightened, so she was brought back to our headquarters. From the tag on the back of her gown, we found that she had a connection to the hotel you are staying in currently. We were wondering if someone there was her guardian, and we traced it back to this room. I would like you to ask Mr. Walker if he knows an Alicia,"

'_That name again,'_ I thought as I lowered the receiver from my head and looked back to Allen. There was no doubt in my mind. They had her. "It's the Black Order," I called to Allen as I held the receiver to my chest. Reynaldo sucked in his breath as Allen looked up with a shocked expression on his face. I breathed in a large amount of air. "They said they have Alicia."

"I… I knew it," Allen muttered under his breath. I saw him clench his fist, his eyes hidden behind his white hair. I knew what had to be done. It was time.

"Allen," I called to him. Though he did not respond, I continued to speak. "It's time I told you why the Millennium Earl is targeting this girl,"

_**/O\**_

I stepped out of the room I was in with a large smile. "What do you think?" I asked I popped up the collar of my new coat. I spun around, fluttering my black and silver skirt as I did so.

"You look great!" Johnny cried. I beamed up at him with glee. Johnny kneeled down to me level, causing me to tilt my head in confusion. "It's almost complete. Here," Johnny grabbed my collar and pinned on small silver broach. "This is a Rose Cross. It's the symbol of the Black Order, which is where you're at right now. They say this Cross can ward off evil, though I have my doubts about that," Johnny raised back to his own level after he pinned the broach. I took it in my small hands and stared at it curiously.

"Why do you think so, Mr. Johnny?" I asked as I looked up to the man with the strange glasses. He shrugged slightly at my question.

"Well, all our exorcist wear them, and it hasn't really saved them too many times," Johnny chuckled at his words, and I found myself smiling as well. I remembered the finder I had met with Uncle Rey; he had a Rose Cross, but Akuma still attacked him. Johnny's chuckle finally calmed down, and he smiled down at me again. "Would you like to go find Lenalee?"

I nodded gladly to Johnny as I grabbed the box with my old clothes. He led the way down the long hallway as I fumbled to fix my collar once again. "Do you think Ms. Lenalee will like it?" I asked as I found the perfect style for my coat to be. I watched Johnny from the corner of my eye.

Johnny nodded. "She has never told me she didn't like my work," He chuckled to himself. We walked in silence for a few steps before Johnny spoke again. "So why are you here, Ms. Ally?" Johnny questioned as he turned a hallway to the left. I eyed him very carefully before I spoke.

"Ms. Lenalee found me last night," I said in a monotone voice. "I was alone… maybe that's why she brought me here,"

"Sounds just like Lenalee," Johnny chuckled lightly. He suddenly gave a heavy sigh. "Can I burden you with something?" Johnny asked with a weighed down tone of voice. I tilted my head innocently at him, and he sighed in return. "I've been here a while and I've seen so much… I know it will go right over your little head, but do you mind if I gossip a little? I know it's horrible, but it's so much like a 'hush-hush' situation, I'm scared to express my opinions with anyone!"

I stared at Johnny with an incredulous look. He wanted to… gossip? How rude and…extremely helpful to my cause. I smiled sweetly up to Johnny, hoping to work out every little detail that I could. "Sure, Mr. Johnny. I don't mind hearing what you have to say,"

With a sigh of relief, Johnny went off talking about every little detail that's happened for the past who-knows-how- long. I found that there was nothing urgently useful, but maybe a few points that could be useful. When he started talking about Lenalee, things suddenly got more interesting.

"A few years ago, Lenalee transferred to the Asian branch. Nobody could guess why: She had a clean record, her brother was here, and she had what many women would call 'the perfect boyfriend', so no one could guess why she left. I think she had a fight with her boyfriend,"

"Who was Ms. Lenalee's boyfriend?" I asked as innocently as I could muster, filling my words with a hint of interest that was a different type than my sneaky under-motive was. I had a hunch it was my father, being that Ms. Lenalee seemed to be around the same age. And she was a sweet lady, one who I would imagine as a gentle fairy from one of the old stories that father would read to me as a small child. If father was to have any girlfriend, it would be one with a sweet heart, just like her.

Johnny seemed to be taken off guard by the question, which meant good things in my view. He scratched the back of his head as he spoke. "He was a good friend to all of us, and basically my hero. He was on an important mission that took up all his time around the time that Lenalee left us. After that, he kinda left the Order… maybe a few months after Lenalee left… wait, I remember, it was when the Asian branch was attacked!" My eye's got wide and my mouth opened as Johnny's emotions seemed to reveal themselves. He wiped his face clean of tears and sniffed before he continued. "Oh, I remember worrying so badly that Lenalee was hurt, but Bak Chan said that she was completely fine," Johnny slowly smiled at the end of his not-so-informing paragraph. By then I had almost given up all hope on finding out more, when Johnny said something that blew my mind. "Lenalee came back after a few more months in Asia. She heard that her boyfriend left the order, and she started blaming herself," Johnny leaned in a little closer to me. "Some say they heard her talking about a baby being involved,"

"A… baby?" My heart began beating heavily in my ear. '_Ms. Lenalee… could she be my mother?_' I thought it over and over in my mind, all the possible scenarios that could actually make it be true. '_Father was sixteen when I was born, and now he's 25 years old. Ms. Lenalee seems around the same age. And father left the order because of a baby; Aka, me… Wait, does that mean that Ms. Lenalee left because she was pregnant? Did father leave the Order and Ms. Lenalee to raise me? Oh my god, Lenalee is my-_' "Owf!" I cried as I ran into a large person. I took a few steps back in shock and looked up to see a man with spiky blonde hair staring down at me curiously. My face turned red. "I'm so sorry, sir! I apologize; I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have…!"

"Now now, it's okay," the man reassured me, his voice laced in a mild Australian accent. "I'm partly to blame: you're just soooooo tiny," My faced turned redder at his statement, finding slight agitation at his statement. Instead of unleashing my full furry over being called tiny, I pouted.

"I'm not tiny!" I cried. "I'm eight; I'm supposed to be this size,"

"Oh really? When I was eight, I was at least 2 feet taller than you,"

I was about to retort to his statement, but the sound of Johnny chuckling caught my attention. "Hello, Reever. What's going on?"

"I was looking for you, actually," The man called Reever held up a manila folder. "Just one of those scientist things," He said with a smirk down towards me. I smiled in return, finding that fighting with him more would be a pointless battle. He nudged Johnny's side. "It's your turn to tell Komui that Sir Komlin the sixteenth is gonna be just like the last one… and the one before that… and the one before that…"

Johnny almost seemed to be paler at Mr. Reever's statement. "O-oh. I see… Well, Ms. Ally, seems that there's something very important to deal with. Just follow this hall here, and then take a right at the next turn, and you'll be back at the cafeteria. I'm sure Lenalee is still in there with Lavi and Timothy,"

"Okay, Mr. Johnny. Thank you for your time," I called as Johnny sulked away with Reever. I smiled as I turned and began to walk away. As I walked down the hallway, a turn did show up, but it only went to the left. I puzzled over it for a moment, but continued down the hall I was in. before I knew it, I was terribly lost down a hallway that seemed to only have left turns. I nearly cried in frustration when Tobi unraveled from my neck. "Oh!" I cried, holding out my hands for Tobi to perch and spread his wings. "You've been here many times before me, haven't you? You must know the way to the cafeteria from here!"

Tobi nodded his little head and flew off in the direction I assumed to be of the cafeteria. I practically skipped behind him in happiness. I had almost forgotten that I was terrible at finding directions inside a building. I still couldn't remember the inside of Jason's house. That, and I still hadn't gotten down right and left. The first turn may have been to the right after all…

Tobi wrapped himself back around my neck as I drew close to the cafeteria. I peeked around the corner and blinked in surprise when I realized that Lenalee wasn't there. My shoulders slumped. '_I wanted to ask her about the baby…'_ my eyes darted across the room to see that Lavi and Timothy were still here. I subconsciously reached for my hood and gasped when I remembered that my new outfit didn't have a hood. I began to back away when I felt a soft body behind me. "Oh, you look so cute!" I spun around to see Lenalee with a gorgeous smile on her lips. Seeing such a smile, I couldn't help but smile back.

"Thank you, Ms. Lenalee. Mr. Johnny said he made it for me," I explained with a blush lighting up my cheeks. To think that the lady in front of me could be my mother… It was a wonderful thought! She was a gorgeous woman, and she was so kind to everyone. Not to mention she just complemented me… the amazement and glee of the situation clouded my thoughts. I couldn't think straight, it was almost as if I forgot where I was.

Lenalee giggled, releasing the wonderful sound to my ears. She gently spun me around and pushed me to the cafeteria. "Come on; let me introduce you to my friends. I'm sure they'll love you,"

My eye's widened in fear as everything that's happened to me over the past few days rushed through my mind, but as she gently pushed me forwards, I found that I couldn't run. She led me to the cafeteria, were I simply hung my head low to hide. I knew it wouldn't work, that someone would instantly recognize me. I was correct.

"Hey, would you look at that? A new exorcist!" From the corner or my eyes, I saw Timothy smirk almost in a victorious manor. "Isn't she a young one? I bet she was easily caught. You know, playing with innocence out in public," My face turned red as I realized he was taunting me. I tried to lower my head further, but it wasn't humanly possible. All I could think was '_It's over… I'm caught…_'

Ms. Lenalee cut off Timothy before he could continue. "She's not an exorcist, Timothy. I found her last night, poor girl was terrified," I looked up to Ms. Lenalee with a small smile. As long as someone defended me, I felt safe.

"Terrified of what?" Timothy spat. I nearly cringed at his voice. Lenalee rubbed my shoulders and I found comfort in such an action.

"She was in the middle of an Akuma attack," I blinked as Lenalee spoke, her voice turning darker than it was previously. "I found her alone, surrounded but piles of ashes. She was crying for her father,"

'_That's right'_ I thought as Lenalee rubbed my shoulders. '_That's right… that's what it looked like to her. She thought I was the lone survivor…'_

I felt Lenalee's arms wrap around me. "I'm sorry for reminding you. Please stop shaking,"

I was shaking? I looked at my hands as I held onto Lenalee's arms. The quivering motion of my hands as I reached up said it all. She was correct, I was shaking. But it wasn't because of the death of the people around me, but for the tortured soul that was connected to the Akuma. The images flooded back to me; the woman in white who reached out her arm, and touched the tip of my Gale Blade. It sent a shiver down my spine. I looked back up to see Timothy raising an eyebrow at me, as if he couldn't believe what he saw. I noticed Lavi walk up next to him, a small smile on his face as he looked to me. I looked away from him, afraid for his reaction to my being here. He walked forwards and kneeled in front of me.

"Hey, it's okay," he said as he moved my bangs out of my face. "I guess you got to see an Akuma after all, huh?"

I gulped as I looked into Lavi's knowing eyes. I nodded my head. "Yes I did, Mr. Lavi. Maybe I shouldn't have looked for my father on my own,"

Lenalee let go of me and moved in front of my vision. "Wait, you know each other?"

Lavi chuckled at Lenalee's shock. He patted my head, a surprisingly soothing feeling since I've met him. "Yeah, I met squirt here. She was looking for her father. So," he turned his attention back to me. "Did you find him?"

I frowned. "No, I didn't… but I found my uncle," I smiled lightly, feeling the same as I did when I first met him. I would tell him the truth as far as I would dare, but no more. I felt as if I could trust Mr. Lavi, being that he was the first exorcist that I met, besides my father, of course.

"Wait, wait, wait… so you're not here as an exorcist?" my face turned red as Timothy once again brought up the subject that I was trying to ignore.

Lenalee giggled lightly. "No, Timothy. Johnny made that outfit for her. It's an old style, isn't it? She's here temporarily until we can find her guardian. In this case, her uncle,"

"Uncle… okay, I can't take this. I'm gonna have to tell you," Timothy stated, filling my entire soul with fear. I pleaded to him with my eyes, hoping that he wouldn't say anything, but he wasn't even paying attention to me. He pointed to me as he looked to the rest of the cafeteria. "She's-"

Before he could get out another word, Tobimaru slammed into his face at full speed and bit his nose. Timothy cried out in pain while I was nearly engulfed in a fit of laughter. "Yeah! You get him, Tobimaru! Get the strange man with the bandana!" I nearly fell over as Timothy cried out a sound like 'Pieeeyaaa!' and tear's fell from his eyes. Lenalee gasped.

"Your necklace was a golem?" she cried as she ran over to Timothy in worry while Lavi laughed alongside me.

"Actually, he was my golem before. So, Alicia, I see you've taken care of Tobimaru," Lavi cried as he whipped a stray tear from his face. I nodded my head enthusiastically. I looked over to see Timothy tugging tediously on Tobi's tail. I gasped.

"Don't you dare hurt my golem!" I yelled across the room. Timothy growled before he finally ripped Tobi away from his face. He threw him back at me and I dove to the ground to catch him. Timothy angrily pointed at me.

"That's it!" he yelled to the whole cafeteria. "This little brat is-"

"Going home soon," the voice that came from the main entrance to the cafeteria retrieved the attention of everyone in the room. I looked to see Komui standing in the entrance, and I smiled at him as he entered. "I got ahold of your uncle. He and your aunt were very worried. He wants to know why you left last night,"

I blinked at Komui's statement. Obviously, the aunt thing was a lie, and probably Uncle Rey's idea, being that he and I looked nothing alike. I thought strategically; with what the people around me already know, what would be a logical excuse? The answer was simple. I looked up to Komui with the sweetest, pitiful look that I could make. "Oh… You see… I thought that when I found my aunt and uncle that they would try to take me home instead of helping me find my father. So I… I snuck out while my uncle went out and my aunt was sleeping," I thought it was the perfect excuse. Well executed, too. Komui's expression seemed saddened by my story, and from the corner of my eye, I saw that Lenalee looked the same.

"Well, your uncle say's that your aunt went looking for you. Did you see her last night?" I opened my mouth, about to say that I hadn't saw her, but I hesitated. Komui wouldn't mention the fake woman again for no reason. I read into his context, and used my hesitation of speaking to my advantage as tear's filled my eyes.

"Oh, Mr. Komui…" I whimpered as I spoke, looking up to Komui again as I held Tobi close to me. "I've tried to block out what happened, Mr. Komui,"

"Please, try to remember," Komui cooed as he kneeled in front of me and placed his hand on my shoulder. "For the sake of your aunt Alice," From that close, I could tell from the glint in his eyes that he was pleased with my acting. I almost smiled, but sobbed to hide it.

"I think… I think she found me. I was scared she'd be mad at me. I turned to run away, but this… ghost flew from the sky!" I raised my hand up, as if I was remembering the experience at that moment. I blinked hard, making another tear fall from my face. "I screamed for Aunt Alice, and I felt her wrap her arms around me, but then… she was gone," I sobbed a few more times, whipped my face with my sleeve, and continued. "I stood up and wiped myself off. I didn't know what all that dust was… I just… I just saw clothes and dust. Everywhere. I… I wanted my father more than ever before,"

I felt Komui's arms wrap around me. I gasped at the force of his hug. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Alicia," Komui spoke loud enough for the people closest to hear. I continued to fake sob into Komui's chest as he continued. "I know this must be hard for you, but please listen to me… do not morn your aunt's death," immediately I froze. His words confused and shocked me. I listened intently as he continued. "I know this may be a little harsh to say, but if you morn her death, you may very well turn your aunt into the same thing that killed her,"

I was frozen by his words. I remembered what Lavi told me before. '_Rumor has it, they are souls that have past, brought back from the dead when a loved one morns deeply for them._ _These demons slay their loved one, and then wears their skin are their own'_…did it really work that way? If I morn for a loved one, they would turn into an Akuma? I couldn't believe such a cruel and horrible thing, but then again, it seems to be the perfect way for Akuma to exist in the first place. I nodded my head on Komui's chest. "I understand, Mr. Komui," I smiled softly into his coat. "Thank you,"

_**/O\**_

Link stepped through the Ark casually. Looking to his left, he noticed that the man stationed to guard this particular entrance was fast asleep on his feet. Though he would usually chastise anyone who slacked off on their duties, Link found himself to be in a hurry. He sprinted down towards his destination, finding himself close to Komui Lee's Office. He slowed down to a jog just as he placed his hand on the door knob. He entered the room, only to stop short. Sitting in Komui Lee's chair was M. C. Leverrier.

He sat in the chair, his hands clamped together as he stared across the room to Link. He slowly lifted an eyebrow. "Howard Link… why do you return in such a hurry?"

"Leverrier," Link lowered his head in a respectful manor. This is not what he had intentioned. He had meant to meet Komui and discuss what Allen was looking for. For Leverrier to be here… it was not a good sign.

"Link, you were one of the finest I've ever seen," Link's eyes became wide as Leverrier spoke. The tone of his voice made his heart beat rapidly as he continued. "But I'm afraid I have made a mistake, assigning you to be Allen Walker's shadow so long ago. I had no idea that his inevitable betrayal would lead to this,"

"Sir, what do you mean?"

Leverrier leaned back in the chair, looking to Link with an almost bored composure. "I wouldn't have guessed that his betrayal would lead to your persistent effort to take him down. It has consumed you for the past 9 years,"

"No, sir. I do not believe it has consumed me. But, I do believe that he must be put away for his crimes against the order. They are unforgiveable,"

"What is the truth, Howard Link?" Link seemed paralyzed by Leverrier's words. He lifted his chin as he narrowed his eyes towards Link. "I can tell something has been eating away at you. Tell me what it really is,"

Link clenched his fists as he took in Leverrier's question. He lifted his face so that he stared Leverrier in the eye. "I have nothing that I can say,"

Leverrier nodded at Link's statement. "I agree," Link felt relief flood through his body, be that relief vanished once Leverrier continued. "But I believe it is time that I properly reassign you,"

"What?" Link shouted the unbelief apparent on his face. "You can't just-"

"But I already have," Leverrier interrupted. He stood from the chair, walking around the desk nonchalantly. "I presented the situation to Central, and it was agreed that you have been at this for too long. You will be reassigned next week, back to work as a normal Crow, as it should be," Leverrier stopped next to Link, his eyes straight forward and void of emotion. "Unless," he spoke, the sound barely above a whisper. "Unless you have some information that you would like to share,"

Link grinded his teeth, frustration building in his system. "No, sir," he stated at last. Leverrier nodded briefly before leaving Link in the room.

Link let out an angry growl and punched the wall behind him. The wall cracked slightly at the contact of Link's fist. "Damn it!" Link yelled at the top of his lungs. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Why? Why do I have to keep your stupid secret?" Link fell to his knee, his eyes filling with tears that he refused to let fall. "Damn it…" Link growled, lowering his body to the floor, groveling in self-hatred.

Leverrier walked down the hallway a few steps before stopping completely. His eyes turned a gruesome black, covering even the whites of his eye. "Howard Link has refused to reveal any information about Allen Walker,"

_**I see. Ah, well, the truth is soon to come. Go back to your duties, Leverrier. Wouldn't want anyone to believe that Central is not on the right, do we?**_

_**/O\**_

_Allen walked down the halls of the glorious mansion with his head hung low. He was not to blame for what happened to Lord Pena, nor was Lord Pena willing to press charges or anything of the sorts, but still Link had ranted on and on. _

"_**You should try to keep better control! What if he decided to Kill Lord Pena? What would we do then?" **__after his rant, he brought his hand to his face and let out a long, drawn out sigh. With regret in his voice, he continued. __**"I don't want to send this report, Allen. But I have no choice. It's been two weeks since the beginning of our mission, and I have to send it out. It's a detailed report about everything that happened here,"**__ Link faced Allen with a glare on his face. __**"Everything,"**_

_Allen took a deep breath as he walked down the halls. He knew he would be reassigned, but that did not stop him from what he had said to Link next. _

"_**Wait!"**__ Allen had cried, reaching out for Link and his report. __**"Link, remember that one favor you said I could have? Well, I think this…"**_

_Link had shaken his head horror, a look of pure disbelief on his face. __**"No… You don't mean…"**_

"_**If you can just keep this a secret from everybody, we can be even…"**_

"_**I can't believe you're asking me this! Stop-!"**_

"_**Please, keep her a secret! I know there's something happening, and if I can stay close to her-!"**_

"_**This is despicable! How could you do this to yourself? To Lenalee? To Lady Cilicia!"**_

_Allen had looked to Link with pleading eyes. There were no lies. He was completely sincere. __**"I… I think I'm in love with Cilicia…"**_

_Allen had finally made it to Lady Cilicia's room after being lost for the past ten minutes. With a heavy sigh, Allen knocked on the door to Cilicia's room. "Cilicia?" Allen called hesitatively as he stepped into the room. He began walking along the railing, an air of depression surrounding his figure, but stopped when he noticed she was not alone. Next to Cilicia's bed was a tall man in white. With a white beret on his head, Allen knew immediately who it was. "Komui?" Allen smiled at the pleasant surprise. The tall man turned, a glare across his glasses as he did so. He smiled to see Allen walking his way._

"_Oh, Allen!" Komui fumbled with his paperwork that was laid out on Cilicia's bed. "I completely forgot that you were assigned here! It feels like forever since I've seen you!"_

_Before Allen could express his happiness, he felt something practically jump onto his back. "And I missed you too, bean sprout!"_

_Allen gasped. "Lavi! Get off, that hurts! And my name is Allen!" Allen shrieked as he wrestled his friend off his back. A small giggle was heard, and it stole away all of Allen's attention. He turned his head to Cilicia's bed, where she laid in a comfortable position under her blankets._

"_So these are your friends, Allen?" Cilicia smiled from behind her weak eyes. "They're interesting people. I have enjoyed their company,"_

"_Y-yeah," Allen tried his best to hide the blush that formed across his cheeks. "They're basically my family,"_

"_Totally! I'm like the annoying third cousin who comes to ruin your day, in an awesomely fun and amazing way, and Komui is basically Allen's brother in-la- Ouch!" Lavi held the side of his stomach where Allen had elbowed him, giving a pout towards Allen. Allen grinned mischievously and walked towards Cilicia's bed. _

"_Why are you here, anyway?" Allen asked as he sat at the edge of the bed. Cilicia sat up at that moment, giving Allen a strong smile that he returned. Lavi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, but if Komui noticed, he didn't show it._

"_Link called us in," Komui explained as he gathered his paperwork. Allen's happy disposition was once again faltered, and a frown returned to his face. "He asked me to come to check for signs of innocence in the girl… I must say, I'm sure she has innocence in her, but we need to check with Hevlaska before we make any assumption," Komui wrote on a piece of paper before handing it to Allen. Allen gave a relieved sigh, content with the thought of Link keeping his promise. Komui continued speaking. "After all this time watching her, it wouldn't be a surprise for her to have the innocence in her. It would explain as to why we can't find any here. I want you and Lavi to come by tomorrow so that Hevlaska can check-"_

"_Cilicia will be taking her medication tomorrow," Allen intercepted. Komui gave Allen a questionable look, to which Allen gave a sad smile as he patted Cilicia's knee. "She's… not exactly at her best with the medication,"_

_Lavi walked over with his hands behind his head lazily. "Wait, wouldn't she be at her best with the Meds? Isn't that what meds are for?"_

_Allen shook his head, remembering the first time he saw Lady Cilicia on her medication. "I didn't know she was sick until she took her medication. Before that, she was happy and smiling and…" _

"_That's because it's not really medication," a voice called from the doorway. Allen turned at the sound of the familiar voice to see Reynaldo at the door. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked into the room, an air of heaviness seeming to weigh down his shoulders. "Good evening, I'm Reynaldo Pena," Reynaldo held out his hand to shake Komui's. He held out his hand to Lavi, who gave a wide grin and shook it. "You must be Komui Lee and Lavi… just Lavi, I guess,"_

"_Yep," Lavi smiled, though it didn't completely reach his eyes. Reynaldo gave a simple nod in return._

"_I have to say this… it will kill me if I don't," Allen bit his tongue. He knew there was something going on; Reynaldo seemed more disturbed than usual._

"_Brother…" Cilicia frowned. Allen noticed the strain in her voice, as if she could barely stand the secret herself. "It's okay… I'm fine,"_

"_It's not okay! I don't care what father says, it's not okay!" Reynaldo was shaking with his anger. Allen stood up and placed a hand on Reynaldo's shoulder. Reynaldo looked into Allen's eyes, and all Allen could see was rage and fear. Allen took a confident breath._

"_It's our job to protect Cilicia. If she's in any type of danger, tell us,"_

_Reynaldo looked at Allen with relief filled eyes. "My father-"_

"_Reynaldo!" Reynaldo flinched as his name was called. He turned towards the door._

"_Coming father!" Reynaldo turned to Allen. "Something is inside of Cilicia. It's changing her, giving her strange powers and... Take Cilicia to your Head Quarters tomorrow. Do it before 7 a.m., or someone is going to stop you. Don't let anyone give her medication, it's suppressing-"_

"_Reynaldo Pena!" Reynaldo turned away and ran to the doors. It was silent in the room after that._

_**/O\**_

I giggled as I heard story after story from Lavi and the others. Lavi sat me on top of a table, while he, Lenalee and Timothy sat around me. Timothy had his pranks while Lavi basically had a chronicle of how he was rejected by almost every female he came in contact with. We soon gained a crowd as Lenalee called over a weary-girl named Miranda, and a tall, pale man by the name of Arystar Krory, though everyone called him Krory. They seemed to feel out of place, but still we all were delighted in the playful stories that were told. With these two exorcists, many more came.

"It's nice to speak of the good times," a man by the name of Choaji commented after another story. "My whole life used to be the sea. And Miss Anita… because of her, I supported the Black Order. I'm really grateful for her, because now I'm an exorcist,"

Lenalee smiled to Choaji. "I remember when you got your innocence. You saved me,"

I smiled at Choaji after hearing Lenalee's words. He blushed lightly at Lenalee's comment. "Oh, please, Lenalee. It was nothing. All I wanted to do was help!" He scratched the back of his head in his embarrassment. "I know it's horrible of me to say this, but we wouldn't have survived without Miranda there, but she wouldn't have made it if Allen hadn't…"

My head snapped instinctively towards Choaji when I heard my father's name. Looking over to Lavi, I saw him give a small nod. My eye's then drifted to Lenalee, who held an almost pained smile on her face. "If his innocence wasn't destroyed," She muttered under her breath. Everyone around me nodded at her statement, every face void of emotion. I found myself in a state of shock. _'His innocence was… destroyed?_' my heartbeat faltered as I suddenly became dizzy.

"Innocence can be destroyed?" My mouth moved without my consent. I nearly bit my tongue off as everyone gazed at me curiously. I felt like disappearing at that moment. I didn't want everyone's eyes on me, I wanted to be the mole that found out all the information without even speaking, but my mouth seemed to betray me.

The sound of chuckling threw me off guard. Such a question wasn't a laughing matter, was it? I turned my gaze to see Lavi as he joined me on top of the table. "Yeah, it can be destroyed, but only by certain people. Not just anyone can destroy innocence,"

"So…" I looked at the faces off all the people around me. As I gazed into their eyes, I felt as if each were filled with wisdom and pain that I may never understand. My gaze finally landed upon Lenalee. Though she smiled warmly towards me, her eyes revealed her sorrow of the past. This was obviously a touchy subject, something that deeply affected her psyche, and it almost hurt me to ask my next question. "So the man you're talking about lost his innocence?"

Lenalee nodded at first, but slowly she shook her head. "Not exactly," She turned her head away, smiling at the floor in front of her. "Actually, we all thought he was dead. There was a hole in his heart from an attack. But it turns out that, as his innocence was broken down into particles, it actually filled the hole in his heart and saved him. He was also able to restore his innocence,"

My eyes became wide as a smile grew across my face. "That's great! Wow, how poetic. Innocence filling the hole in his heart…" A story so simple yet so moving, and it was the first I've ever heard of my father since I got to the Black Order. Excitement rushed through my tiny body. I felt like flying at that very moment. I wanted to use my innocence to fly and cheer, but of course, how idiotic that would be? But it became obvious to everyone around me that I was excited as a wild giggle escaped my lips. "I guess you were really happy to find out he was alive!"

Lenalee turned towards me, her eyes filled with wonder as she gaze at my beaming smile. She returned the smile and nodded. "Yes, I was,"

"Hey, Lenalee!" a girl with short blonde hair sat next to Lenalee with a smile. "Count me into this! I want to hear the story about the guy who found the Ark, too!"

It almost felt as if the air had shifted at the lady's words. I looked back up to Lenalee, who held a small, sad smile on her lips. Her raised eyebrows revealed her unease when she spoke. "What story, Monica?"

The girl named Monica tilted her head, a playful smile across her lips. "Any story. General Walker's life is just so cool,"

"Awe, come on, Monica!" a man that I couldn't see yelled across the room. "You're infatuated with those stupid, made-up stories!"

Monica gave a pout. "I don't believe their made up!" She yelled, sticking her tongue out before she turned back to us. "I think they're real, beautiful stories, Lenalee. They just don't believe the stories because we haven't heard any that were closer to current time,"

Lenalee frowned. "We don't know where he's gone, though,"

Monica nodded. "Yes, I got that part, and that's the point," She pulled her legs up on her chair and wrapped her arms around them. "We don't know anything after they found Timothy. It's almost as if… he was whipped off the face of the earth. Are you sure he isn't… gone?"

There was a silence in the air that made my chest burn. I looked around the cafeteria, where it seemed that everyone was listening intently at that point. I looked back to Lenalee, and saw that her face seemed confused at Monica's words. A type of depression seemed to surround the table that I sat at. I blinked suddenly, looking over to Lavi with a curious pose. An idea appeared in my head, and I gasped suddenly. "Mr. Lavi, I almost forgot!" I tugged on his sleeve hurriedly, which seemed to catch him off guard as he flinched at my touch. He looked at me in a mixture of worry and confusion as I continued speaking. "When I met you, you were looking for someone," Lavi eyed me carefully, as if he was almost afraid at where I was going with this. I smiled as if to reassure him. "And you asked me a question about Golems, remember?"

Lavi tilted his head slightly as he raised an eyebrow. "Where you going with this, squirt?"

My eyebrow twitched. "Don't call me that," I muttered under my breath before I scratched my head, pretending to be slightly confused. "You see, I had seen golem's when they were black, like what Tobi used to be. But after you left town, I saw a golden one," I closed my eyes as I looked up to Lavi with a smile. "It was so pretty, Mr. Lavi!" I looked away without looking at Lavi's face, as if I was actually saddened. "I tried to catch it, because it reminded me that you were looking for a strange golem, but it flew to a man who seemed to be an exorcist, because he was dressed a lot like you. I didn't bother the golem after that, but I thought that I should tell you about it if I saw you again,"

The whole cafeteria was engulfed in gossip. I blinked at everyone as they whispered and murmured. So much was going on the room was almost in an uproar. Miranda's eyes became wide and she had taken ahold of Krory's coat, frantically speaking in mumbles. Choaji seemed completely spaced out, as if he had gone into shock. Timothy's eyes began to twitch, and as I looked over to Lenalee, I swore I saw tears in her eyes, but my attention was swept away as Lavi sprang to his feet on top of the table. "I can't believe it!" Lavi cried, gripping his hair in a frustration. "I got so close! So freaking close!" Lavi kneeled in front of me, grabbing my arms and, with the widest and truest smile I've seen from him yet, he laughed. "What did he look like? I wonder how much he's changed... Did you talk to him at all?"

I smiled at the uproar my lie had sprouted. I had no idea that such a small lie could bring hope into all of the people in front of me. I closed my eyes for a second, trying to think of the right words that my father would say. I giggled as I thought of such. "I was leaving the town when it happened, so he asked if I was lost. I told him how I was looking for my father," I closed my eyes, wonder and excitement filling my own body as I spoke. "He told me right there... Be strong. If the road you walk is troubled, remember to keep moving forward," When I opened my eyes, I was shocked to see that Lavi was crying. Tears of true happiness slid down his face. It almost made me feel bad for telling such a lie, but at the same time, I was happy that I did it. But something did trouble me. If they found out who my father was, they would know that this story was a lie.

But at the same time, for them to think that he was dead after I had lived my whole life with him by my side; I don't think it truly mattered.

Lavi shot back up to his feet. "It's him! It's really him! I told you he was out there!" I giggled slightly at Lavi's excitement. It made me so happy that I could convince them that he was out there. It was even better that I painted him a good light, for as I looked to Timothy I saw his look of disbelief. He looked up to me and met my eyes, and I could tell that he understood my questions before. '_Who was that man to you?'_ I had asked him the day I had met him. I think now he believed that I asked because I had met him, and when a smile appeared on his face, I almost believed it was a sign of respect and understand... As if Mr. Timothy could have such things. I smile at him nonetheless, but my attention was soon stolen away when Lavi was knocked off the table and onto the ground. I blinked twice once I saw Lavi holding his forehead as a small person stood over him. Lavi growled. "What the hell was that for, you old panda?"

"Bookman?" Lenalee murmured as she gazed upon the small figure. I tilted my head in confusion before I turned back to the figure.

"You've slacked off on your duties for one purpose, and you failed at that purpose? You are heir to the Bookman line; you need to be more responsible!" My eyes widened at the sound of an old man speaking. I finally realized what I was looking at. It was an old man with a long pony tail on the top of his head. He had dark make-up around his eyes, so I could understand why Lavi called him a panda. My eyes shot to Lavi to see that he was defiantly not a happy camper, but more of a mixture of bummed and annoyed. The small man held out an object and dropped it in Lavi's lap. Lavi blinked at it curiously before he picked it up.

"What's this?" he asked as he opened a thick, leather bond book carefully. His eyes scanned over the page for a moment, and then Lavi looked confused. "It's written in a language that I don't understand…"

The man nodded. "When it was found inside of the Ark, it was believed to be an old Bible. But look at the markings, doesn't it look familiar?"

Lavi's gaze returned to the book, and his eyes suddenly widened in shook. "This is the same as the piano music!"

At that point, my stomach started to churn. '_Piano music…_' I thought as my eyes darted to the girl next to Lenalee. She had said something about an 'Ark' before, when she was talking about father. But where had I heard that before? My mind traveled back to when I first met Reynaldo. He had joked about some type of 'Ark Portal'. But the only reason why he found me, and came to that conclusion, was because of the song I was singing. The song I sang was originally piano music, which my father had taught me when I was younger. Something told me that, whatever this was, it was closely related to my father.

Bookman nodded. "I saw that, too, but I couldn't believe that an entire book was dedicated to hymns. After many trails and careful translations over the course of a year, I've finally deciphered it,"

"Wait, Old man," Lavi growled. "You've had this for a year and you haven't told me?" Lavi shrieked as he held the book in Bookman's face. Bookman lowered his head slightly and look to Lavi with narrowed eyes.

"You've been gone for as long as I've had it, idiot," Lavi was silent after that statement. I noticed his regret in his eyes as he stared down at the book in his hand. Bookman continued. "I have discovered that it is not a Bible, nor a book of hymns, but resembles more of a detailed journal about the past life of the Noah,"

Everyone's attention seemed to be directed solely on Bookman. Confusion washed over me as Lavi's eyes widened. "Old man, why are you saying this here?"

Bookman closed his eyes as he spoke. "There is no reason to keep this information away from the public. It's better than telling it to Central, who will simply not listen at all," Bookman looked at Lavi with an almost bored stare. "I know you will not be able to translate that on your own, with all of your duties as a general to do in this God forsaken war. I will tell you the summary of this story when you have the time to hear it,"

Lavi stood up from the floor, holding the book firmly in his hand. "I have time now, if you don't mind telling the story to everyone here,"

Bookman let out a sigh. He looked over everyone in the room, his eyes seeming very precise as he scanned everyone here. When his eyes finally landed on me, he lingered for a moment before he nodded his head. "Might as well," he stated as he took a seat at the table across from us. Lavi sat down next to me, on my left side. Lenalee moved towards the left, while Timothy found himself comfortable in front of us. Bookman took a deep breath before he spoke. "Once upon a time, there lived 14 apostles of God. Descendants of Noah, God had full trust of the 14 people to spread his name across the known world.

"In the eyes of the believers, they were beautiful people, blessed by God in ways that they couldn't comprehend. Believed to be the greatest one among them was Adam. He was truly blessed with good looks and a compelling voice, and everyone lived by his every word.

"The apostles lived simple lives, traveling from town to town to spread the word of God as to help the sick or needy. Wherever they went, people were eager to hear stories and messages, and to bathe themselves in prayers of good fortune and health. And each apostle was happy, living a life of celibacy in the name of their lord. They knew that their simple life was more blessed than that of royalty, and were strict in their ways to keep it as such. They knew as long as they lived and spread the word of God, they would live long and prosperous lives.

"But that life was nearly taken away from them. A breathtaking woman in silk gowns caught the attention of a male apostle. She was a beauty; one of long hair and faire skin, and no doubt the daughter of great wealth. With her own free will, she spent her days tending the sick and serving the people. She captured the attention of every man, but as her eyes met with the eyes of the young apostle, she could not think of another. He was her dream; a man touched by God with the will to help the less fortunate.

"Although the young man was not the youngest of the apostles, he was still the most naive and foolish in his ways. He spoke to the woman with the most gentlest of voice, and looked after her carefully as they tended for the sick. He would sometimes forget his place, finding that it was most enjoyable to forget his responsibilities and lie in the hay next to the woman, and feel the warm summer breeze upon his face. Every so often, he would reach out to touch her hand. She, too, found wonder in such actions.

"One faithful night, after the sun fell over the horizon, he departed from is sibling's humble abode to meet the faire maiden. After searching all night, he crawled through the window of a small hut to find her dressed in rags, brushing her hair with a broken brush. She noticed his reflection, and began screaming at him to leave. She began to cry, for fear that her being a peasant would revolt a man so noble as to be chosen by God. But he did not depart, for he did not care for her wealth. He was drawn to her by her beauty, but he lingered for her spirit.

"After many days of excruciating research, I believe the Apostle named here is the Noah ancestor of Neah,"

Lenalee sucked in a breath at Bookman's words. I looked to Lavi's face to see that it had grown pale. I leaned closer to Timothy, curiosity driving me crazy. "Why is everyone so shocked?" I whispered into his ear.

Timothy gulped. "Neah is the name of the Noah who was inside of Allen. He is the one who lead us to believe that Allen would betray us," My eyes grew wide, and though my mind raced with unanswered questions, I could not think another thought as Bookman continued.

"The result of their love was a child of pure innocence. She was as fair as her mother in every way and more. Neah loved the child dearly, and prayed to the God he betrayed for no harm to come her way. But the rumors spread of the child, and, eventually, Adam appeared at the doorstep to Neah's second home. He found the woman with the child that resembled his brother, and was thrown into a fit of rage. All that he and his family had was endangered by the acts of his younger brother. But Adam had a plan. He ripped the child away from the arms of the woman and took her away. He took her to a place that only he and Neah knew the location of: The Ark.

"And there the child stayed. Neah was allowed to visit her in her room, a place of giant gears that she used to explain her ideals to her father. They were interesting, if not blasphemy. She did have plenty of time to think with nothing more to do.

"_Do you think God loves me, father?_ she asked as she watched the gears of the clock turn in their peculiar way.

"_Yes, my daughter_. Neah answered, tears filling his weary eyes. _God loves everyone._

"His daughter turned to him, her face void of emotions and her eyes showing no signs of life. But slowly she smiled at her father, a sight that he had not seen in years. _Yes. I think God loves me too. You know what that means?_

"_What is that, my daughter? _Neah asked as he grew excited for his daughter's signs of emotion.

"The girl giggled; a sound that Neah had not heard from her since she was a babe. _It means that one day I can leave here, and we can be a real family again._ She leaned against Neah's shoulder with a content sigh. _I know it._

"As the time that his daughter spent in the ark grew longer, Neah knew that he could not let the lie go on. His lover, the mother of his precious child, had passed of grief, so he knew that his daughter's one wish was already forsaken. He began to pray, asking for the strength to save his only daughter from the horrid place she laid. Though he had long ago thought himself forsaken by his lord, God answered his prayer with a message. _I will help you save your daughter if you complete this task. You must persecute the evil man behind her imprisonment; kill Adam and take his place. Only then will your daughter be free._

"Neah took God's message and turned it into his strength. As dusk settled in, Neah took a dagger and raised it by Adam's bedside. Before he could strike, his younger sister screamed and grabbed his arm, which woke Adam up in the process. All the apostles awoke and gasped at the sight.

"Neah would not be stopped though. He lunged at Adam again, only to have Adam grab wrist, and with one faithful blow, stabbed Neah in the chest. Neah gagged on his blood as it rushed out of his mouth.

"_Father, No! _The cry of the young girl filled the ears of the apostles. She ran out from the shadows to her father, who lay limp and nearly dead. She cried over his form, knowing that she would be helpless in any attempts to save him. She brushed his hair from his face, seeing tears in his own eyes as well. She smiled at him one last time. _I wanted us to stay a family…_

"Adam took that moment to clear his name of any doubt. He cried to the other Apostles, claiming that Neah had committed sin, and wished to assassinate himself for his own personal gain. He claimed that the ideas were planted into his head by the young girl sitting in front of them, and that she was to blame for the all the sins that he committed.

"Filled with rage and confusion, the apostles believed in Adam, as they always had. They swarmed over the girl, who cried in pain and for mercy as she was brutally tortured and then killed,"

I gasped in horror at Bookman's words. I couldn't break the thought of how evil Adam was for doing such a thing. He was a coward, afraid that his prosperous life was in danger because Neah had fallen in love. Tears began to fill my eyes. _'God has a plan for all of us,'_ I thought as I wiped away my tears before the others could see. '_Neah's just happened to be different from his siblings…'_

"And God did love that girl," Bookman stated, causing me to break from my thoughts. I closed my eyes as he continued to speak, afraid that more tears would fall. "He had loved her just as much as he had loved the apostles. She was bright and kind, and actually had every faith in him, though her ideal's said otherwise. She was just as he made her to be; _Innocent_. And little did the other apostles know; He had never planned for Neah to walk in the footsteps of his siblings," My eyes opened wide at Bookman's words, and I couldn't stop the tears from falling from my eyes. "No, he was made to live a life of love, one that would fill the hearts of many children with words of compassion and harmony. As God looked down at his children's ruthless acts of sin, he knew that the persecution would begin.

"The apostles cheered in their blood soaked rags; yelling in success for their merciless slaughter of the young woman. Neah, finding his last strength, crawled to the girl and rested his hand upon hers before he could breathe his last breath. But she was not yet dead, and in her ear she heard a whisper from her father's father. She slowly smiled as she raised her arms to the sky, speaking one last sentence. _You who were once loved dearly by God… are now damned for eternity…_

"The apostle's camp site caught on fire. All 13 of them burned in a slow, hot burn. Their blood curdling screams filled the night air as the smell of roosting flesh drifted across the rivers. The bodies of Neah and his daughter were not burned; they lay in the center of camp, untouched by the fire that surrounded them.

"With the last inch of hatred Adam had in him, he used a forbidden act he learned from Lucifer himself, and bound the souls of Neah and his daughter's to his own. So as forever her was cursed, they would be cursed all the same.

"Never to be known as apostles again, they are now known as the clan of Noah. The 13 apostles are cursed with the characteristics that came to the world with Noah: Judge, Pleasure, Desire, Wisdom, Corrosion, Pity, Wrath, Dreams, Bonds, Lust, and Ability.

"Adam was turned into a fearful demon, full of anger and hatred that is directed fully towards God. He cast away his name and replaced it with one he found would be appropriate after he took over heaven and earth: the Millennium Earl.

"Neah did not have a true curse. The only curse that lived with him was that of living an eternal life: an eternal life of following the one who bond his soul. To atone for what had been done, God gave full control of the Ark to Neah, so that the Millennium Earl would have to rely on Neah.

"And the daughter, you ask? She is forever bound to the Earl just like her father. She lives with the curse just as all the other Noah does,"

I blinked suddenly, realizing that I had held my eyes open for the whole ending of the story. I shook my head, finding that the story felt all too familiar; almost like déjà vu. I looked up to Bookman with a confused expression. "Does the Earl still have the girl?" I found myself asking. It bothered me slightly, but found that it seemed right to ask.

Bookman tilted his head as he looked to me. "Why, yes, he should. I have no reason to believe otherwise, though this story seems to be more of a fairytale than fact. We have never seen such a girl, nor had any form of contact with her,"

"Yes, but," I bit my lip slightly. What I was about to say in front of everyone was risky at its best. I steadied my breathing before I spoke. "I've heard of a man… He is said to have a Noah inside of him,"

The whole room was silent, and Timothy gaped wildly at me in his horror. It was as if nobody could believe what came out of my mouth. Bookman studied me very carefully, eyeing me in a type of way that made me believe he was suspicious of me. "Go on," he mused after a long pause. I took a deep breath.

"You spoke of 13 Noah, so the 14th must be Neah. That must mean he has Neah inside of him, right?"

Bookman nodded. "Yes. But keep in mind, child… this may not be a true story. This story has been only just received. We still believe that Neah is trying to kill the Millennium Earl and take his place. He has said so before,"

"But if it is true, then that means that Neah is on your side," I smiled at my words. Timothy blinked at me, understanding washing over his face. Then, there seemed to be a type of regret, as if he was upset with himself for some reason. I smiled to Timothy before looking back to Bookman, awaiting my answer.

Bookman's analyzing gaze turned into a harsh glare. "Know your place, young one. Allen is a known enemy of the Order, and-"

"What's his crime?" I screamed, standing up on the table in a fit of defiance. I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to know why… why was he an enemy? Why? Everyone seemed to have loved him, cared for him, respected him… "What happened?" I realized I had spoken my last thought aloud. I blushed, turning my head away before anyone could see. "Everyone talks so fondly of him… I just want to know why…"

I would not get an answer. Slowly everyone filed out of the room, leaving me to stare at the floor. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I looked up with tears in my eyes. I had hoped to see Ms. Lenalee standing there, holding on to her own faith, but was slightly surprised to see Mr. Komui standing next to me. I briefly wondered when he returned. I slowly looked around the room, finding that the people I knew were already gone. None had come to me. None would tell me the truth. In fact, I believed that none would speak to me so openly again. With a quivering lip, I wrapped my arms around Komui, crying into his lab coat. "Time for bed," Komui whispered as he reached around me to pick me up. He carried me away from the cafeteria, rubbing my back softly and humming in my ear. As he turned out of the doorway, I saw one last look at Mr. Bookman. A single silver droplet fell from his check before he completely disappeared from sight.

**And that's that! Next chapter is the big reunion; I know everyone is head over heels for that! Just so you guys know, I'm sure this story is long from over (this coming from the person who writes more and more each chapter-_-)**

**I hope everyone loves this chapter as much as I do! It took sooo long to make! I love the humor between Allen and Tyki, and also Alicia's fast acting! **

**Anyway, tell me what you think and what you'd like to see! Please review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**12,739 Words for this chapter! I hope you enjoy it! ^^**

**I must apologize for not updating. That's what I get for leaving my laptop at my boyfriend's house '-_-**

**Anyway, I've enjoyed making this chapter and I hope everyone enjoys reading it! Finally, what you've all been waiting for!**

**Happy readings!**

"Why will I suffer if this girl is not killed, Lord Millennium?"

"Ahah! I see the curiosity has finally got you, Lord Tyki Mikk!"

I slumped my head into my palm in a frustrated manor, looking up to the Millennium Earl with a small glare. "Focusing my energy into a child is frustrating, and you keep mentioning her as if she will be my doom," It really was bothering me. It was a small child who just happened to have innocence. There was nothing screaming 'beware!' about her. But then again, that's just what I thought before.

"I guess telling you wouldn't be such a bad thing, Tyki-pet," I tilted my head as I gave the Earl a questionable look. The Earl waved Lero above him. A large viewing portal appeared, revealing a play of shadow puppets over our heads. "You see, as the Noah are reborn, each is given a gift that reveals themselves as their Noah characteristic," In the image above, one by one, the shadowed outlines of all the Noah were reaching out to accept a wrapped gift, which I assumed to be a metaphor for our abilities. I could see Road's figure as she accepted her Noah gift from two outstretched arms, and them being completely engulfed in a radiant light. The Earl motioned towards the image, causing it to change. "This event always happens right before the change is complete. It is a celebratory process, almost as dear to us as our goal. Our spirits are whisked away from our physical body to receive the gifts that belong to us. The Noah of pleaser before you, Tyki, was the last one to receive your gift this way," I saw a figure walk towards the outstretched arms, and could see that the figure looked much like me. My figure leaned forward to accept the gift, but right before the gift was in his hands, he hesitated. The image disappeared. I looked back to the Earl with confusion in my eyes. The Earl held both of his hands on Lero, and his face expressed thoughtfulness. "You are the Noah of pleasure, and pleasure is what your soul seeks. The Noah in you was always suppressed because of a sudden increase of power, and that was because of the one who presents the gifts to us; the Gift Barer,"

I brought my hand up to my chin thoughtfully. So that was how we acquired our gifts. I had wondered why we didn't lose them after we had died; it was housed in another body until our reincarnated souls could receive the gifts again. But another question appeared before me. "Does that mean the Gift Barer was a child, being that I'm chasing after one now?" I wondered aloud. I began to feel uneasy; they knew something important that I didn't. Not that it was something strange; they always had more of an idea of what's going on than I had.

"All in good time," the Earl answered as he waved Lero again. The image above him reappeared. My figure shook hands with the outstretched arms, and then suddenly everything was engulfed in a fire like catastrophe. I didn't know what to think. "A deal was made," The Earl seemed to be crying as he cupped his face with his hands. "The result: we lost a brother, and our gifts," The Earl sobbed as the image showed one of the fourteen figures dissipating as the other figures lost the eerie glow that surrounded them. My eyes became wide. Not all the other figures lost their glow. Mine kept the glow. In fact, the glow became stronger.

Road jumped onto my back, licking a lollipop as she smiled down at me. "The Gift Barer made a deal with the Noah of pleasure,"

The Earl sniffed before he spoke. "Yes. Yes he did," The Earl moved with such speed that I didn't even notice until I stared at the pupils of his eyes. "Your ancestor killed the Gift Barer, releasing her soul to the pitiful human's world. Also, using the gift that the Gift Barer bestowed upon your ancestor, he bound her soul to that world. Neah used that opportunity to try to kill me. He failed, as the Noah of destruction always does, and decided to follow the Gift Barer into the mortal world. In return for this distasteful act of treason, you got two gifts, and you did not lose yours when she passed…"

I held up my hands in surrender. "I didn't do it myself, my lord!" I cried, fearing that he wanted to kill me himself at the mention of this memory. "I try my best to-"

The Earl gave a heartfelt laugh. "I'm not angry at you, Tyki~!" he almost sang as he placed his hand on my shoulder. "That was the last Noah of Pleasure, and it wasn't entirely his fault in the first place. I'm just glad you finally had that vision~!"

I blinked in surprise. "You lost me…"

The Earl gave a girly giggle. He began to spin around. "Haven't you ever wondered why it took us so many years to restart the war against the exorcist and their despicable God? Without our gifts, we are powerless in our ways. It would take years to finally regroup, and find the soul that belongs to the Gift Barer. We can only obtain the gifts from the soul, now. For years the Gift Barer has been eluding us. The Gift Barer Reincarnates almost instantly, making it difficult to find the soul, and difficult to obtain our powers," the Earl gave a sly smile. "Once a Noah dies, the powers go back to the Gift Barer, making it difficult to deal with the loss of a brother or sister. Since the Noah of pleasure never lost his power, once you awakened, the powers came as well. Thus, when the Noah of pleasure is found, we use him to find the Gift Barer," The Earl smirked at me. "It is how you repay us for your past treachery,"

I felt my stomach ache. I betrayed them in the past, so they must expect betrayal again. That wasn't a good sign. But as I looked back to the Earl, I found myself confused. "Wait…" I found myself muttering. "Is that why never got a new Noah of Wrath… Because we couldn't find the Gift Barer?"

"Exactly! Isn't it wonderful, we finally have a new lead! Unfortunately, it means that the Gift Barer has found a suitable host," I raised an eyebrow at the Earl. He chuckled and waved his hand to me. "Not every being can handle the soul of the Gift Barer. It is truly saddening that we must take the soul out of a suitable body and keep her on our side. But, it does mean that we can use this to aid our cause!" the Earl began spinning around again. I still found myself confused.

"But, we didn't have the Gift Barer with the others. I mean, with the twins and Skin…"

"Yes we did," the Earl informed me with his large smile. "We used your ancestor's three times before the last. We had finally found the soul around the time you awoke again; me and Road, that is, since we had not died before we found it again. We took the soul of the Gift Barer and forced the gifts away from it, creating the newest of your brothers and sisters. Because we rushed, it was the largest amount of Noah that we found in such little time! Regretfully, before we could find the new Noah of Wrath, the soul got away…" The Earl seemed to be frustrated. "We did find the soul soon after, but it found another host before we could capture it… it was about nine years ago, and it resided inside a young woman with peculiar power…"

I blinked at the Millennium Earls words. I had remembered such girl, who I had almost killed many times before the Order got involved. It was then that I was told to forget about said girl…. Though I couldn't. I wouldn't. And I am grateful that I didn't. I shook my head at that moment, ridding the thoughts that filled my mind as I spoke. "So why am I in danger in all of this?"

"Because, Tickie," Road giggled as she rolled off my back. She leaned into my ear, a sadistic grin on her childlike face. "Because if a certain someone gets ahold of the Gift Barer before we do, _you _will be sacrificed so we can get the girl's soul,"

_**/O\**_

_It was dark and moist as Allen and Lavi opened the doors of Lord Pena's glorious home. Lavi ran out first, checking his surrounding carefully before heading out further. Allen waited at the door, placing his hand on the back of a hooded figure next to him. "We just have to wait for Lavi," Allen mumbled to the figure as he too eyed the surroundings carefully. "He'll search for anything suspicious, and then we have to head out before anyone wakes up. Link is going to stay here to cover for us," The figure moved closer to Allen, leaning against his shoulder. Allen blushed lightly, but didn't speak. At this moment, he was working, and he would try his best not to be distracted. But apparently the figure was adamant in distracting him._

"_I can't keep secrets from you," whispered the hooded figure into Allen's ear. "I'm so sorry…"_

_Allen eyed the figure for a brief moment before looking back towards Lavi. "You don't have anything to apologize for, Lady Cilicia," he muttered back._

"_I have a fiancé," Cilicia cried, leaning back slightly so that she could see Allen's face. Allen looked from the corner of his eye. Cilicia was breathtaking in the natural glow from the moon. He could see her face under her oversized hood, and found that she looked most beautiful in natural light. Her feature's made Allen's heart beat faster, and he had to look away before a blush would totally engulf his face._

"_I… I know that," he whispered, more to himself than to her. But the quiet night made Allen's words easily reach Cilicia's ears. She gasped at his words._

"_How…?"_

"_After you kissed me," Allen muttered, looking back into Cilicia's eyes. "I found out after that,"_

"_I'm so sorry," Cilicia's eyes began to fill with tears. Allen instinctively reached for Cilicia's cheek, rubbing it softly as a soft smile appeared on his face._

"_Don't say that. Don't be sorry for kissing me," even through his gloves, he swore he felt Cilicia's cheeks grow warm. His smiled turned more smug for a moment, but he pulled away and looked back to find Lavi. "It did shock me to find out, and… it did hurt. But Reynaldo said that you don't love that man," Allen eyed Cilicia once again. "He said that he sent demon's after you…?"_

"_Yes…" Cilicia answered, nodding her head slowly. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but it's true. He was charming at first, and I thought that an arranged marriage couldn't end too badly if he was so…" Cilicia shook her head. "But he started going down some alleyways, and I got scared. He called me to him, but I refused... and then he just pointed at me, and those demon's that are after me now-" Cilicia began to trembled heavily. Allen wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to his side. She sighed with content at his action. _

"_Cilicia," Allen mumbled slightly. Though he knew he needed to focus on his work, it was starting to bug him. There was something he thought she should know. He wanted to make sure she knew what she was involved in, but he didn't quite know how to phrase it. After a moment, he looked Cilicia in the eye. "Do you know what my job is?"_

_Cilicia tilted her head. "To protect me, right?"_

_Allen couldn't help but chuckle at Cilicia's innocent mind. It would be almost heartbreaking if she knew the whole truth. Such a beautiful girl should not be drawn into such an ugly war. Allen's smile was sad as he spoke. "That is my mission as of right now, but my actual occupation,"_

"_You're an exorcist. You work for the Black Order," _

"_Right," Allen nodded his head. She knew the basics, apparently, but would she know more? "Do you know how I do my job?"_

"_You mean, to kill the demons?" Cilicia asked curiously. Allen nodded in return. "I'm not sure… Crosses and Holy Water?"_

_Allen couldn't help the hysterical laughter that escaped his lips. He quickly covered his mouth to cease the sound. "No, no…" he smiled down to Cilicia as he pulled his hand away from his mouth. "Remember what we're looking for?"_

"_Innocence," Cilicia answered. Slowly a look of confusion washed over her face. "What is innocence?"_

_Allen mused for a moment before he spoke. "The only way I could put it… Innocence is basically what we use to fight Akuma,"_

"_Akuma?"_

"_Oh," Allen whispered as he realized his flaw. "That's what we call the demons back at HQ. It's the Japanese word for Demon. And these Akuma know that we use innocence against them, so they try to destroy innocence so that nothing can stop their murderous spree. The Order turns the innocence into weapons and Exorcist use them against the Akuma,"_

"_But won't the Akuma destroy the innocence if you use it against them?"_

"_Well, Akuma can't really destroy the innocence. It's mostly indestructible, and can only be weakened by a powerful Akuma or other innocence. Most of the time, weak Akuma take it to someone who can destroy it,"_

"_Someone who can?" Cilicia questioned. She raised her eyebrows at his words as worry crossed her face. "__**Someone**__?"_

_Allen nodded, a glare taking over his face. "Yes. Humanoids that the Akuma take orders from. They call themselves super humans, and they can destroy innocence. They are our true enemies; the Noah and their leader, the Millennium Earl," Allen looked Cilicia directly in her eyes. "I think you have come into contact with a Noah,"_

"_A Noah… But… but why? Why would they come after me?" Cilicia's faced revealed the fear that she felt. Allen ran his gloved fingers through her hair, wishing so badly that he could fell how soft it really was._

"_I think they believe that you possess innocence. And if that's true, we have to get you to Hevlaska tonight,"_

"_Okay, I understand," Cilicia smiled confidentially. She stepped up to her tip toes and placed a small kiss on Allen's cheek. Allen's face was engulfed in a blush because of such an action. He began to look around frantically, worried that Lavi might have seen. Cilicia wrapped her arms around Allen's arm, hugging it to her in a cute, playful way. She rested her chin on his shoulder, looking back into his eyes. "What does innocence look like?"_

_Though her question was innocent, Allen couldn't help the shiver that surged through his body. A look of confusion washed over Cilicia's face as she felt the arm she held close to her tense. Allen tried his best to smile at her, but even he knew it wouldn't reach his eyes. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Um… I don't really know how to explain," He tried his best to sound believable. It was almost painful for this question to be placed before him, knowing fully well that people never reacted well to his deformation. Allen accidentally made eye contact with Cilicia, and the look on her face, the look that said she had complete and utter acceptance of him, softened Allen's heart. _

_Allen slowly pulled away his arm from her and tugged at his glove. As the glove slipped off his hand, it revealed his dark skin, and nails that looked more like claws. On the back of his hand was a red symmetrical cross, which reminded him of where his innocence used to reside when it was embedded in his hand. After he finally did it, his wished he hadn't. He balled his hand into a fist and tried to cover it with his other hand. Cilicia reached forward, holding her hand out to Allen. He hesitated, but the look in Cilicia's eyes revealed that she would not let him win. He gulped as he held out his left hand, and flinched as he felt her smooth skin against it. There was a look of wonder in her eyes as she ran her fingers along his hands, and a small smile appeared on her face. "You are the most interesting person I've ever met, Allen Walker,"_

_Allen blushed at her words. Cilicia looked up to his eyes, her features revealing her joy. Allen's blush intensified as he spoke. "Well, this is just my innocence. It's a rare type called parasitic type; most exorcists have equipment type. Like Lavi, who has a very interesting hammer. Mine is… a deformation. Something I've had since birth,"_

"_I still think this is amazing," she cooed. Allen's eyes became wide as she brought his hand up to her cheek. He tried to pull away, but he found that he couldn't move his arm. Cilicia's face was peaceful. She ran her fingers across his hand and even under his sleeve a little. She opened her eyes, and to Allen her sparkling eyes seemed to have been smiling up to him. "I can't wait to see if I have innocence. So, where is Hevlaska?"_

_Allen gave a wry smile, which caused Cilicia to become confused. He chuckled as he leaned closer to whisper in her ear. "She's at HQ: in London,"_

"_What?" Cilicia shrieked, jumping away from Allen as she released his hand. "London? There's no way we can get to London in such a short amount of time!"_

"_Well…" Allen smirked as he took the opportunity to slip back on his glove. The smirk lingered as he grabbed Cilicia's wrist and pulled her close to him. "What if I told you I was magic?"_

_Cilicia looked as if she was about to snap back, but she slowly looked away from Allen. Allen lifted an eyebrow in confusion just before Cilicia spoke. "I… I'd believe you…"_

_Allen's smile was so big it nearly reached his ears. "Really?"_

"_Yes," Cilicia's face turned red. "I believed you were something amazing since I met you, Allen… When I met you, when I first saw you, my heart skipped a million beats… I swear… You were so polite, and so artistic, too! When you would be my company for the day, I noticed your tone muscles, and knew you were strong and healthy... And I thought you were the most handsome creature to ever walk the earth. I tried my best to resist you, actually. I said 'He's younger than you, that's why you think he's cute!' but I never believed my own words. You made my days brighter, and my night's safer… many night's I wished you would crawl into my bed, and maybe catch me by surprise…"_

_Allen's entire body tensed as blood rushed to his face. Cilicia fidgeted slightly, realizing that she spoke of forbidden acts. Allen couldn't help the small, smug smile that appeared across his face. "You think of me that way, Lady Cilicia?" He felt Cilicia nod her head as she buried her face in his shoulder. Allen wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her even closer to him. "I must say that I'm very honored to be in your mind that way,"_

_Cilicia turned her head away in embarrassment. Allen chuckled, which caused Cilicia to wiggle out of his arms in a fit of embarrassment. Allen began to laugh, but a sensation of being watched shot through his body. Allen instantly looked back towards outside, where he noticed Lavi coming back his way. He gave Allen the signal, calling it all clear. Allen's instincts wavered for a moment, wondering if the sensation was a false alarm. He waved behind him, beckoning Cilicia in her large dark hood to follow. He placed his hand on her back and led the way to follow Lavi. They ran until they were outside of the town, and they found a small hut that seemed to be abandoned. Allen wrapped his arm around the figure and entered through the door._

_Cilicia finally removed her hood, revealing long black hair and sun kissed skin under the unnatural light. She blinked her large blue eyes at her surroundings. She had never seen a place like this before. In her awe, she stepped in front of Allen, looking at her surroundings like a young child in a new environment._

"_Code!" A Large man demanded as he jabbed his pole onto the ground. The girl let out an 'Eep!' sound and she jumped back, hitting Allen and nearly causing him to fall. Allen chuckled as he regained his balance, and stepped in front of Cilicia to give the code. Lavi appeared next to Cilicia, placing a hand on her shoulder. _

"_Welcome to our home!" he called in his usual happy tone. Cilicia smiled as she continued to awe at her surroundings. Lavi smacked Allen's back in a brotherly way "I'm heading off to grab a bite to eat. If you have spare time, you should bring Cilicia and hang for a bit," Allen nodded to Lavi before he left on his own. Allen chuckled before he placed his hand back on Cilicia's back and guided her through the halls._

_If Allen had been asked, he would say that he was happy to be home. The walls and hallways were familiar to him, and it was nice to see familiar faces. But truthfully, it was not so. The walls that surrounded him seemed Alien and bare compared to the soothing walls that he had grew accustomed to in Lord Pena's mansion. The people that passed by gave criticizing and judging glares as they passed, and truth be told, he couldn't remember the way to his own room. At the moment, he was merely escorting Lady Cilicia to Hevlaska to check for innocence. It was not a home reunion._

"_There you are," Komui's voice was heard as Allen nearly passed the destination. He stopped and gave a small smile to Komui as he continued. "I thought you would never make it before 7 am. Look, only 3 more minutes to go!"_

_Allen rolled his eyes, but a smile could still be seen on his face. Though the home he had was unappealing, he could always say he missed his friends. Especially when they weren't around Link, because then it seemed like when he first came to the order and was not judged at all; even though he was cursed. Cilicia took a step back, walking into Allen's side. Allen patted her shoulder. "It's fine," Allen cooed. "Don't be scared, okay? We know what we're doing,"_

_Cilicia gave a huff to Allen. "You know, I'm not a child," Allen raised an eyebrow at the girl in front of him. "I'm only so nice and stuff because I get too weak to talk back,"_

"_You think being polite makes you seem younger?" Allen chuckled lightly, shaking his head in an amused disbelief. _

_Cilicia blinked at Allen. "Doesn't it?"_

"_Come now," Komui interjected. "Hevlaska is waiting," Komui motioned behind him with a smile. Cilicia took a deep breath before entering the room with Allen following close behind._

_**/O\**_

My eye's slowly adjusted to the change of light that fell on my face. I rubbed my eyes sleepily as I turned around to become comfortable once again. My eyes were only open for a moment before they closed, but they immediately snapped open when I realized what I was looking at.

I gazed across the room I was in to see Lenalee brushing her hair. She wore a shirt and shorts, and yawned tiredly and she smoothed out her hair. In front of her was a mirror, where I saw her reflection prominently as she stretched her arms to the ceiling. With a sigh, her hands went down to her side as she looked at herself in the mirror. I felt that I was intruding, just staring at her without reason. I felt like a spy. Though I wanted to know about my father, I didn't want creepily watch people. Before I could turn back around to face the wall, Lenalee did something that I couldn't ignore.

Slowly Lenalee lifted up her shirt to reveal her stomach, which caused my eyes to grow wide. Across her thin stomach was a deep red vertical scar. My heart beat immediately began pounding in my chest. It almost seemed to be slightly jagged, but as she turned slightly in the mirror, I noticed it to be a few separate scars across the vertical one. There were two long marks in the middle, with two short marks on the side, all diagonally over the long vertical scar. 'What happened to you?' I wanted to ask as Lenalee slowly lowered her shirt, her face twisted in unease. Her eyes rested on my reflection; to which I quickly closed my eyes in reaction. After a moment I heard footsteps, and I peeked open my eyes to see that she had walked into her closet to change.

I rested my eyes for a few more moments before they reopened to see that Lenalee finished dressing. She returned to the mirror to inspect her reflection. With a sigh she ran her fingers through her hair and surprised me with her voice. "Not getting a day younger, it seemed," She laughed at her words sadistically as she turned to her side. "I can't believe I'm still so tiny, though," Lenalee sighed to herself, a look of worry crossing her face as her eyebrows creased together. "Now I'm a beansprout…"

I couldn't help the giggle that escaped my lips at Lenalee's words. I just thought it was funny that those words could come out of her mouth. I soon realized my mistake, trying my best to stifle the giggle and pretend to be asleep. When Lenalee looked at my reflection in the mirror with a sly smile, I knew I was busted. I sat up as I rubbed my eyes, giving a small smile to Lenalee. "You're not tiny, Ms. Lenalee. I'm tiny!"

I giggled as Lenalee smiled and walked over to the bed. "I thought you were awake," She stated as she ran her fingers through my messy hair, a look of serenity on her face. "Would you like me to brush your hair, Alicia?" she asked as she motioned to the chair next to the mirror. I nodded as I slid out of the bed I sat in currently; with a small blush on my face I realized it must have been Lenalee's bed. I had only slept with my father before, and I would usually sleep alone. I must have been half asleep by the time Komui brought me here.

I shook my head and walked over to the mirror as Lenalee moved the chair behind me. I sat down in the chair as she grabbed her brush and began carefully running it through my hair. "You have very pretty hair," Lenalee cooed as her fingers laced themselves in my hair. I smiled to Lenalee's reflection.

"Thank you, Ms. Lenalee," I stated, my eyes practically sparkling to hear her complement me. I brushed my bangs out of my eyes. "It's been pretty short, but I think it's gotten longer. It's about past my shoulders now!"

Lenalee giggled lightly. "I've always had really long hair. It had been long since I was a child, but I got into a little accident and lost most of my hair. I thought about growing it out again, but I guess I got used to this length. I remember always tying my hair up…" Lenalee reached her hand to a drawer on the vanity. "Do you mind?" Lenalee asked as she revealed to me two silver hair ties. I shook my head.

"Not at all," Lenalee smiled as she pulled my hair into two high pigtails. She reached back into her drawer and pulled some matching ribbons and tied them into my hair. I couldn't help but smile at my reflection. "Wow!" I cooed as I ran my hand through my pigtails. They weren't terribly long pigtails, but they were still very cute. I giggled at my reflection. "Father tried to do this… once," I turned around in my chair to look Lenalee in the eye. "Obviously, he wasn't very good at it,"

Lenalee smiled down to me, running her hand through my hair in a soothing manor. "You should grow your hair out longer. It would be very pretty,"

I nodded to her. I reached up, running my finger through her short, dark green hair. The motion seemed to shock her, but a smile rested on her lips as she touched my hand. I smiled brightly. "Ms. Lenalee, I'll grow out my hair if you grow out yours,"

Lenalee's smile almost seemed sad. She rubbed my hand softly as she nodded her head. "Deal," she cooed in response. "Alicia," she muttered under her breath as she lowered her head. I blinked at her sudden change of mood. She began to shiver, and worry surged though my body.

"Ms. Lenalee, what's wrong?" I asked as I placed my hand on her cheek. She shook her head slowly before she raised her head to look at me again. The smile on her face was betrayed by the tears that fell from her eyes.

"Alicia," she cooed as she grabbed both of my hands. She stared me in the eye, and though tears streamed down her face, in her eyes was gratitude. Her smile widened. "Thank you for standing up for him," she said to me as she pulled me into a tight hug. Her words shocked me. I thought nobody would like me after last night. I had no idea that anyone could be… grateful. A small smile appeared on my face as I remembered words from my father. '_Looks can be deceiving. Though your face my hold a frown, your heart may be happy,_'

I returned the hug to Lenalee. "I had to, Ms. Lenalee. I know he's a good man," I whispered into her ear. Her grip on me tightened at my words, and I decided to return the hug at full force.

Lenalee giggled as she squeezed me a little more before she pulled away. "I hope you weren't mad that we left you last night. The reason why we left was because we were completely shocked. For someone who didn't actually know him…. for you to stick up for him: We were taken by surprise, I guess. After you fell asleep, I went to the cafeteria, and everyone was talking about you… everyone was happy," Lenalee's smile couldn't be bigger at that moment. With a large smile across my lips, I jumped out of my chair.

"It's okay, Ms. Lenalee. I understand," I said as I stretched my arms out. I was still wearing what Johnny had given me, but my coat was currently handing on the back of Lenalee's door. Lenalee smiled sweetly at me, and after Lenalee finished putting up her things, she grabbed my coat off her door and handed it to me.

"Big day, huh?" she asked as I accepted the coat and began slipping it over my arms. "You're going home,"

I shook my head at Lenalee, a small smile across my lips. "I'm not going home," I said as I looked back up to Lenalee's soft, confused eyes. "I'm going to find my father!" Lenalee smiled at my words. She opened the door and began walking to the cafeteria. As we walked down the hall, my eyes were drawn to a door on my left. I blinked at it for a moment before I stopped to stare at it. "What's that room?" I asked as I pointed to the door. The door looked like any other door I had passed before, except the yellow 'do not cross' tap that made an X across it. Lenalee followed my finger and looked at the door in question. A small smile appeared on her face.

"That's room 00X. No one is allowed in there because it's…" Lenalee began to rub her arm as she avoided eye contact with me. "I guess you can say it's a crime scene, but I think the Order is too afraid to look in there. So they just closed it off to the rest of the Order, I guess,"

"I see," I muttered as I subconsciously followed Lenalee. I couldn't help but feel there was something important in that room, but I guess it would have to wait. The rest of the walk to the cafeteria was quiet, but strangely suiting. I noticed how Lenalee kept gazing at me from the corner of her eye, as if she had something to say but didn't know how to say it. It happened many times, but I figured it wasn't a big deal. As we grew closer to the cafeteria, I was shocked to see Lenalee trying to suppress a giggle. I looked up to her in my confusion, a skeptical look upon my face. I shook my head as I entered the cafeteria, only to be frozen in my steps.

"SURPRISE!" I couldn't believe my eyes. The entire cafeteria was decorated in steamers and signs, and everyone I had met previously was there. Komui, Jerri, Timothy, Lavi, Krory, Miranda… and each smiled at me as if they had known me my entire life. I blinked in my shock, completely speechless as to what to say. Lenalee began giggling again as she wrapped her arms around me.

"I can't believe I kept it a surprise!" she cried as she held me in a close hug. After a second, a smile appeared on my face.

"You threw a party… for me?" I asked as I looked to the faces that surrounded me. Komui stepped forward and nodded enthusiastically.

"Of course we did! What do you think we are, Neanderthals? We like to through parties for our guests!" I smiled at Komui knowingly. I could see how he truly felt in his eyes. He was sad that I was leaving him after he had just got to meet me. I ran over to him and wrapped my arms around him. As he slowly patted my back, I knew there was a loving smile upon his face. "Before you leave, I'll get you that book," He whispered to me. I shook my head.

"I don't want it," I stated as I buried my face into his shoulder. I knew I had caught him by surprise, but I felt him nod as if he understood. He clapped his hands to get my attention. "Now, now, you have many more people to say goodbye to before your escort gets here! Chop chop! Don't linger on me now!"

I blinked at Komui's words and pulled away slightly. "Escort…?" I asked curiously. Komui smiled brightly at me.

"Oh uh, Yes, your Uncle asked me to call him that…" Komui stated with a small blush across his cheeks.

I titled my head. "Why would he ask that?" I asked curiously. Komui's face made a small smile appear on my face. "What, is h going to escort me to someone?" I asked jokingly, a sly smile on my face. Komui smiled in a knowing way, and I felt my smile slowly faulter. "What is it, Mr. Komui? Is he…?" I began to ask, Excitement rose in my voice. Komui waved me off.

"Now now, you always jump to conclusions so easily, Alicia," He stated with his smug smile. before he could completely brush me off, I interjected.

"It wouldn't have anything to do with Father, would it?"

Komui coughed, a small hint of humor in his eyes. "Now, Alicia, if it did, I most certainly would have said so!" Even though Komui shook his head, I knew it to be true. I could see it in his eyes. I couldn't hold back my cry of joy. I jumped back into Komui's arms, crying my thanks over and over again. Komui chuckled as he squeezed me tightly. "I hope you will be just excited to see all of us again someday," He said loud enough for everyone around to hear. I nodded at that moment, feeling the exact same way.

I giggled as I pulled away from Komui, revealing my thanks with my smile. I turned to see the cook, Jerri, smiling at me expectantly. I was about to speak when he moved to the side, revealing a gigantic cake behind him. I nearly fainted at the sight of the cake that was definitely taller than I was. My mind went completely blank as my stomach growled loud enough for everyone around to hear. My face turned red as the people around me laughed. Jerri handed me a piece of cake and patted the top of my head. "There you go, Ali Ally! Don't eat it all in one bite!"

"No promises," I muttered as I grabbed a fork and shoved a piece in my mouth.

The party was a hit. I spoke to everyone there, who seemed to be enjoying themselves in this small, social event. I got to meet more of the science department, which included Johnny as well. I thanked him for my clothes, and he reminded me that my other clothes were in a bag in Komui's room so that I wouldn't forget. I got to see Mr. Reever again, who still insisted that I was too short for my age. Though it was frustrating me, I gritted my teeth and smiled through it. The rest of the science department was fairly friendly, except for a few who called the party a 'waste of valuable time'. I blinked at the small group of people who stated such a thing. With a sly smile on my face, I turned to Reever, who I heard to be the section chief. "Mr. Reever," I said, making sure that the grouchy workaholics heard my voice.

"Yes?" Reever muttered with a raised eyebrow, sensing the mischief that was in my voice.

"I understand that you are in a venerable situation: Fighting against a threat to humanity, right?" Reever nodded, but before he could speak, I continued. "Then I understand that you must throw lots of parties, being that every small human interaction must be treasured in the crucial time that you all have,"

I think my words shocked me just as much as it shocked the scientist. It made my stomach turn, and I finally understood all of the things my father had done. He tried so hard at everything he ever did. He made every moment in my life count. Reever smiled down at me, and I swore that I could see respect in his eyes. "You sound like an old friend of mine, Alicia," He said as he reached forward to place a hand on my head. "You're absolutely right. This is our first party in many years. We are only human, after all. I guess we just needed to be reminded,"

I tried my best to hold back my tears. I couldn't cry at my own party, I just couldn't. I heard a small sob to my left, were I turned to see the girl named Miranda crying into her hands. I gasped and ran over to her, but she held out her hand and cried "Stop!" I stopped, staring at her in a mixture of curiosity and worry. Slowly she smiled to me, catching me off guard. "You're so full of wisdom for being such a little girl… You remind me so much of…" Miranda sniffed, rubbing her eyes clean of tears. "Right! I'll do my best! I'll enjoy this life and if not for my sake, then for others!" Miranda smiled confidently at me. I couldn't help but blush, realizing that I had motivated her somehow. She ran off to speak to Lavi and Krory, leaving me blushing at the ground.

I shook my head and turned back to the party. I decided to leave my new scientist friends be, and as I looked around the room, my eyes landed on a man in the corner who seemed to be trying to keep to himself. I couldn't help but think that I recognized the man. He had a high ponytail that held his extremely long hair, and his face seemed almost completely void of emotion. Yes, he seemed very familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it. "Do you remember Kanda?" I nearly jumped out of my skin as Lenalee appeared next to me, a smile on her face. I blinked up to her, revealing that I didn't understand what she meant. She smiled down to me as she placed a piece of cake in her mouth. "He was with me when I found you," she said, her mouth nearly full of cake. I looked back to Kanda with a curious expression on my face.

"I should express my thanks, then," I muttered as I made to walk to him. Lenalee placed her hand on my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks.

"No, I wouldn't," Her smile seemed slightly annoyed. "Kanda has slight problems with kindness. I would call him… Socially inadequate, and I saw that with a loving heart! Don't worry, he knows you're grateful," With slight confusion, I nodded to Lenalee, understanding her words more or less. As I walked away from Kanda, I didn't completely turn away. At that moment, I saw his gaze shift up to me, and I simply gave him a small smile. He raised an eyebrow in me, as if he didn't understand the meaning of my actions, but then he simply huffed.

"Short stack," I cringed at the words Kanda had spoken. I couldn't help the glare that lingered on my face as I looked back to him. I stuck my tongue out.

"Girly man," I muttered just loud enough so that I knew he would hear. His annoyance was apparent on his face, but I smugly walked away.

As I walked around the room filled with laughter and enjoyment, I noticed Timothy leaning against the wall in an almost bored way, though I saw his eyes eagerly scanning across the room. I smiled at him as his gaze landed on me, to which he huffed and turned his head away. I wouldn't let him brush me off so easily. I walked up to him, barely a foot away, knowing that I would gain his attention once again. He looked down at me with a raised eyebrow, curious as to why I was approaching him. I lifted up my hand, which actually caused him to flinch. I frowned. "You don't think I'll do that out of the blue, do you?" I asked as Timothy gave a heavy sigh.

"I don't know what to think," Timothy muttered under his breath. "I don't even understand why you're here,"

I smiled at his words. "I guess you're just mad that I'm not here as a sign of help,"

Timothy huffed. "Well, yeah. I mean, we've gotten a lot of exorcist since the 'exorcist boom', but any innocence can be the heart. I'd hate for you to be targeted without proper training and experience," I raised an eyebrow at Timothy, to which he looked away. He wouldn't look into my eyes as he spoke again. "Besides, I don't know what Central would do if they found another rouge exorcist…"

I shook my head at Timothy's words. Though I understood his concerns, I genuinely felt that he shouldn't concern himself with me. "Mr. Timothy, here," I raised my hand up to him. He raised an eyebrow at me, and, with a smirk on my face, I stuck out my pinky finger. "Promise me you won't worry about me,"

"Wha-?" Timothy's face turned red. He shook his head violently. "I don't worry about you! Why would I? You're just a stupid kid!"

I smiled sadly at his words. Though I knew what he said wasn't true, it still hurt to hear him say such a thing. "Then promise you won't tell anyone," I offered, my hand still outstretched to him.

Timothy's blush faded slightly. He growled in frustration before he wrapped his pinky around mine. "Fine," he muttered under his breath. "Just don't get yourself killed, kid!"

"I won't!" I cried playfully with a smile on my face.

"What'cha talkin' about, squirt?" Lavi cried as he walked up behind me. I turned away from Timothy, retracting my hand and placing it by my side casually.

"Nothing, Mr. Lavi,"

"Okay then, well… can you get your golem out of my hair?" I tilted my head at his question just as Tobi wiggled out of Lavi's hair. I giggled wildly as Lavi grimaced towards my little golem.

"Oh, Mr. Lavi, he just wanted to check up on his old home! Come here, Tobi!" I cooed, holding out my hand for him to fly to. He wiggled out of Lavi's hair and perched himself on my fingers. I rubbed his cheek against mine. "Hello there, my little bronze golem! I thought I was missing something important!"

Lavi chuckled as he turned away. I followed him excitingly, sitting down next to him at a table near the entrance to the cafeteria. "Hey, squirt…" Lavi called, causing me to twitch slightly at the nickname. I turn to Mr. Lavi with a forced smile.

"Y-yes, Mr. Lavi?"

Lavi leaned back, holding onto the table to keep him up. He looked at me with a cocky smirk on his face. "I guess the Black Order is old news to you. You're moving on to bigger and better things, huh?"

I laughed at the way Lavi phrased the question. I shrugged my shoulders in a nonchalant way. "I guess you can say that. I can't believe I've finally found my father!"

"Well, _he_ found _you_," Lavi stated matter-of-factly. I raised my eyebrow as a way of saying _'what's your point?'_ he chuckled as he turned around in his seat. "Well, you found your father before I could find who I'm looking for… and you also found Allen before I could, too! Damn, you sure are lucky,"

I laughed as I let Tobi situate himself on my head. "Sorry, Mr. Lavi,"

Lavi shook his head. "No, no. it's fine. I'm just excited to hear a sighting… So, you think your father picking you up?"

"No," I muttered more to myself than to Lavi. Why would my father show up at the place that he's least wanted? My mind froze at that thought. _'Wait, he's a wanted man; someone who has apparently committed crimes… but everyone here misses him?'_ confusion washed over me as I started to doubt that there was any crime that he had committed in the first place. There's no way he could still be loved by everyone if he betrayed the Order… right?

"Is that so?" Lavi smiled at me once again. He jabbed his thumb to the left, motioning to Miranda and Krory. "I see you got them worked up pretty good,"

The blush I obtained before returned to my face at that moment. "You… really think so?"

Lavi chuckled at my words. "Yeah! I haven't seen them this psyched in years! They were hit pretty hard when Allen was reported as a runaway… He helped find them, after all. I guess you got their spirits rising… and mine too, you know?"

I blinked. "What was that, Mr. Lavi?"

Lavi chuckled. "You heard me. I had almost given up looking for… But after you said you saw Allen, it just hit me! He is out there, and with the help of Timothy finding those notes, I'm sure I can find him,"

I held back the long sigh that I wanted to release. I looked back to Lavi with almost dead eyes. "Why do you want to find him so badly?" I asked. I believe that the pressure of everything was getting to me. Lavi blinked at me in slight shock for a moment before he began rubbing the back of his head.

"Well… he muttered. "No one has really asked before. There are many reasons; he was my best friend, I've known him for so long… but the main reason is a secret," I blinked at Lavi for a moment, curiosity refueling me, giving me back my energy. I was more eager to learn than ever! I opened my mouth, ready to gain more information, but the sound of hurried footsteps distracted me.

"Alicia!" I heard Komui cry gleefully as he skipped through the entrance of the room. He stood in front of me and took a bow as he motioned to the door. "Your escort has arrived,"

For a moment I held my breath as I heard hurried footsteps grow closer. In the blink of an eye, I saw a tall Spaniard man standing in the doorway, looking straight at me. My heart nearly stopped beating as I made eye contact with him. I wasn't sure what he was going to do. I was so scared, scared that he would be mad, or worse, _disappointed_ in me. I lowered my head slightly; finally feeling ashamed for leaving him in the middle of the night with no indication of where I had went. But as a wide smile appeared on Reynaldo's face, my heartbeat speed up, and I jumped out of my seat. "Uncle Rey!" I cried as I practically jumped into his arms. I felt his arms instantly squeeze me to him.

"Alicia!" he cried, holding me tightly. "I was so worried! When I returned, you were gone! Don't ever scare me like that again!"

"I'm sorry!" I cried as tears fell from my eyes. I didn't realize how much I really missed Uncle Rey. He was the first piece of family that I found after all the chaos happened, and, though he wasn't even my uncle, I loved him very dearly.

"Y-yeah, you'll be sorry all right!" he cried as he held me back slightly, using his sleeve to wipe his eyes clean of tears. "When your father showed up yesterday, it gave him a heart attack, too!"

Though tears fell from my eyes, the smile on my face said it all. I was happy. Truly, truly happy.

_**/O\**_

"You got this, Tyki?" Allen asked as he balanced himself on a tree limb. He pushed his back against the trunk of the tree, glaring across the park towards Tyki. He was completely concealed in the tree, but he could very easily see Tyki on the other side of the park.

Tyki cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. He looked across the park to Allen, who wasn't even visible from where he stood. A smirk appeared on his face. "This is why we're testing it," he called, a smirk across his face. He slipped his cane under his arm as he stepped behind a large tree, hiding himself from Allen's view. With a deep sigh, he composed himself, placing an emotionless mask upon his face. _**'Akuma~'**_ he thought, a hint of bliss swirling around his words. _**'I've spotted an exorcist in London, and would like you to do the honor of taking him out.'**_ Tyki eyed a building to his far right. It was fairly tall, and had a wide ally separating it from the neighboring building. Tyki felt his grin widen across his face. '_**He just walked into an ally by the park, next to the large redbrick building. Do **__**not**__** let me down.'**_

A silent moment passed as Tyki held his breath, eyeing the red building to his right intently. Sweat began to bead down his neck as worry dared to cover his features. He began to doubt himself, feeling as if it wouldn't work. This was his only plan, his only upper hand. If this didn't work, he wasn't sure what he would do.

'_**Understood, Lord Noah,'**_

Tyki nearly jumped when he heard the conformation of action. A relieved sigh released from his lips as he peeked out from behind the tree. With a simple head jerk, he motioned to the red building before casually tugging at his gloves and walking in the opposite direction.

Tyki turned a corner, eyeing the ally with the building quite subtly. A smirk appeared on his face as Akuma began to swarm the building. Yes, it was more than he originally expected, but that was all the better for this situation. With a smirk planted firmly on his face, he pulled his cane from under his arm and walked away, leaving Allen to finish the job.

_**/O\**_

I looked up to the ceiling once again, seeing the flash of gold that seemed to be haunting me ever since Uncle Rey came. My mind told me it was a subconscious image that flashed by because of my excitement to see father, but I didn't truly believe that to be the case. I meant to point it out to Reynaldo, but with the rest of the exorcist around me, I found it seemed too risky. Something told me the last thing I wanted was for Timcanpy to be caught here.

Mostly everyone had said their goodbyes, and had gone on their way. I was shocked to see that Lavi knew Reynaldo. It was strange to see them shake hands, speaking of how it was truly a small world. Lavi seemed a little unease, but Reynaldo smiled pleasantly at him. Lavi left shortly afterwards.

Presently, I felt Komui hug me tightly for what seemed to be the 6th time since Reynaldo showed up. A giggle escaped my lips as I hugged him back. Looking over his shoulder, I saw Lenalee offer me an amazingly sweet smile that made my cheeks feel warm. Komui finally released his hug, tears about to overflow from his eyes. "I-I... I'm gonna miss you soooooooo much!" He sobbed as he ran his hands through my pigtails. A smile appeared across my face.

"I'll miss you too, Mr. Komui! Thank you very much for allowing me to stay here at the Order. And thank you for your advice on my aunt," I tilted my head slightly, my eyes filling with a sad glaze. "I'll remember it,"

Komui nodded as he held my chin in his hands. "You are a very strong girl, Alicia Ally," hearing his words, I felt a wave of confidence was over me. I nodded pointedly, taking pride in such small words. Komui took off his glasses and wiped them on his coat as he stood up. As he backed away, Lenalee kneeled in front of me.

"You be good now," She said as she patted my head. A light blush appeared on my face. Without fully thinking it through, I wrapped my arms around Lenalee's neck and pulled her into a tight hug. I heard a gasp behind me, and immediately recognized it to be Reynaldo's. My heart beat quickened at such a thought. '_Could it be that she's really my mother?_' I thought as I slowly pulled away from the hug, a small, shy smile on my face.

"Thank you for everything… oh!" I cried as I reached for my pigtails. "Do you want these back?"

Lenalee shook her head, running her fingers through my hair, and then tracing the outline of my cheek. "It suits you," Her smile seemed to grow, if it was even possible. She held her hands on my shoulders, looking me dead in the eye. "You remind me so much of Allen…"

Her words nearly made me jump from my skin. I tried my hardest not to look to Komui or Reynaldo at that moment, struggling to keep eye contact with Lenalee. I took a shallow breath before I spoke. "The man who I saw before…?" I stated as if it was a question, a confused gaze on my face. With a light giggle, I spoke before she could answer. "I don't look anything like him-"

My voice stopped once Lenalee shook her head. "We can argue about your appearance, but I was talking about your actions. So far, you seemed to have stolen the hearts of everyone in the order in just one day,"

I blinked at Lenalee, true, general confusion washing over me at this point. "What does that have to do with Mr. Allen?"

I was too busy getting over how strange it was to call father by his first that I almost missed what Lenalee said. "…did the same thing when he joined the Order, even though he was cursed," I blinked at Lenalee, true wonder in my eyes. She smiled at my expression, and slowly she leaned closer to me. I turned my head, figuring that she would whisper something in my ear, but was taken completely off guard when she kissed my cheek. My entire face turned red as my blood rushed to my face. Lenalee stood up from her spot. "I guess this is goodbye then,"

I looked up at Lenalee with terror in my eyes. I didn't want it to be goodbye. I wanted to speak to her more. I wanted to know more about her, more about father, and more about everyone! I wanted to know more about the life that my father had missed over my entire lifespan. I wanted to know what she meant by his 'curse'. My heart felt as if it was aching, telling me that this could not be the end. I cried out to Lenalee without thinking. "Can I see you again?"

Lenalee blinked at me, as if she was truly shocked by my words. "I… the Order is a pretty hard place to get to-,"

"You can visit _me_!" I cried, stepping forward to grab Lenalee's hand. "I live in a small village to the west. It's in the middle of a forest that used to be called 'Whispering Forest', but is now referred to mostly as the 'Forbidden Forest'. You can visit if you have any free time! I live in a house on the edge of town, it's new and pretty, and my father built it all by himself! I can give you a tour of town; it's not very big, so it wouldn't take too much out of our time, especially if you can only stay for a short while. The only really educated people there are a teacher, my neighbor, and my father, but don't tell them I said that: they're a really proud people! And-,"

"Okay, Alicia!" Reynaldo called as he grabbed my wrists. "No need to be so needy and greedy! Lenalee is a very busy person, you know," My grasp lessoned on Lenalee's hands, feeling complete rejection fall heavily on my shoulders. I wasn't an idiot, but I had felt like one then. Of course I shouldn't invite Lenalee to my home, it was too risky. There was also the fact that she was an exorcist, and an extremely important person in the world. For her to take the time to visit me seemed impossible. At that moment, I was glad that Reynaldo rejected the offer first, for if Lenalee had rejected my offer on her own, I would have truly been crushed. So, with a small understanding smile on my pale face, I nodded my head.

"Yes, I understand," I murmured under my breath as I looked down to the floor to avoid making eye contact. I bowed my head slightly. "Thank you-"

"I'll visit," my eyes grew wide as I stared down at the floor. I felt paralyzed, as if I just couldn't move. "I'll come visit you at your home, Alicia. It sounds like a lot of fun," I bit my lip as tears welled up in my eyes. I lunged myself forward, hugging Lenalee's waist as hard as my little arms would let me. Lenalee giggled as she patted my head in a caring way. "You take care now, Alicia. I'll be sure to grow out my hair, so you grow yours too, okay?" Lenalee cooed as I pulled away from her grasp. I nodded simply, excitement building in my system. She looked up to Reynaldo with a raised eyebrow. "And you: take care of this girl! If anything happens to her while she's in your care, I'll personally beat you down, Reynaldo!" I stared at Reynaldo in confusion as I grabbed my bag and his hand. Reynaldo chuckled nervously as he led me away. I quickly waved goodbye, not even realizing that we had left through a door.

I blinked at the sudden non-artificial light. I took a full breath as I took in the rays of the sun. It was a beautiful day, actually. The sun was out, the sky was pure blue, and a moderate amount of people walked the streets. Tobi wiggled out of my coat pocket, finding that my shoulder was a comfortable enough place to perch. I reached my hand up to the sky, and saw birds flying across the giant mass of blue. A smile appeared on my face.

"Is it almost spring time?" I asked as I turned to Reynaldo. The smile on my face disappeared as I saw the grimace on Reynaldo's face. I looked up with a curious gaze. "Uncle Rey?"

Reynaldo sighed heavily, taking off his hat and running his hand through his hair. "Yeah, but wait until you father finds out you invited _Lenalee_, of all people, to your house,"

My face was engulfed with a frown. "Is there a problem with that?" Despite the many obvious reasons that it was a bad idea, I felt that Reynaldo was thinking of a different reason. I wanted to study his reaction in order to find out the truth: Was Lenalee my mother?

Reynaldo raised an eyebrow as he studied my own face. A small smirk appeared as he nudged me playfully. "You're a smart girl," he said as he walked ahead of me. "Very conniving and persistent… you know, you don't have to be that way anymore. I'm sure your father will answer all your questions once you see him,"

I huffed as I crossed my arms defiantly. "It's no fun when they just give you the answers," though I believed in the words I said, the smile on my face deceived me. I ran to catch up with Uncle Rey, grabbing his hand and running towards my destination. I couldn't believe it was finally happening. I was finally going to see father. I could finally have answers to my questions!

My entire body stopped as I felt my head pulse. My eardrums began to pound heavily. I snatched my hand away from Reynaldo and dropped my bag as I covered my face. My head began to pulse exceedingly faster. "Alicia?" I faintly heard Reynaldo's worried voice. The pulsing in my increased its speed, and with a painful gasp, I turned to my left as a rotating gear appeared before my vision. Starting from the right side of my view, I noticed a red spot across the gear moving behind the buildings. As the dot increased its sped and ran across my vision, the gear moved across my eyes to follow.

With a small gasp, understanding washed over me. "Akuma…" I muttered before I took off towards the red dot.

"Alicia!" Reynaldo cried behind me. I ignored his worried call, focusing solely on the red dot that seemed to grow the closer I ran. My chest began to glow as I jumped to the roofs, deciding to follow from above. Tobi flew next to me, keeping up even with my increased speed.

I went the opposite direction of the screaming people, and finally seemed to catch up. My eyes grew wide in shock as I finally noticed the morphed and deformed soul that lingered above the Akuma itself. I looked to the Akuma, seeing a tall, slender, and fast creature, covered in armor from head to toe. 'Level 3?' I thought as I equaled my speed to that of the Akuma. I felt the wind that whipped around me, flowing through my hair and around my coat. Before I could think of a plan of action, a white flash collided with the Akuma, sending it flying into a wall.

I skidded to a stop, aghast at the sight I saw. I made to move to the edge of the building to get a better look. "Damn it, Tyki!" My body froze at the familiar voice. My eyes widened as the white flash in my vision became more distinct. A figure with white hair, wearing a flowing white cloak turned around. He pulled a masquerade mask away from his face. "What did you do, call all the Akuma in England?"

My heart nearly stopped as I gaped upon the man in front of me. I could clearly see the red scar that framed his left eye, even from the top of the buildings. My heart was pulled as I stared upon the man, knowing fully who it was. "Father…" I muttered into the wind. I blinked twice, an almost completely dumbfounded look upon my face. "Did he just kinda, sorta, curse?" Tobi completely stopped flying for a moment: his own version of sweat-dropping at my statement. I pouted at him. "What? He never, ever, cursed in front of-"

"I didn't call them all; I just asked if they would do the honors of taking out an exorcist. They seemed to enjoy it when phrased in such a way," My attention was stolen as a man in a black suit walked out from an ally. He gripped the tip of his hat, smiling in a smug way. "At least we know for sure that this will work,"

I noticed a small smile appear on my father's face. "Yeah…" he muttered, raising his left arm behind his head. My eyes became wide as I stared upon his arm. His left arm, which was previously deformed but human like, had taken on a completely different shape. It was skinnier, with large claws on each of his fingers. I couldn't help but ask myself… what that his innocence? It had to be, right? It made so much sense… His left arm was his innocence this whole time. I finally could understand how I never noticed. It was a parasitic type innocence which took the shape of his left arm… "Well, Tyki, I guess this is a mission accomplished-"

"Tr… trai…tor…" my eyes darted away from father and the strange man to the wall which had nearly collapsed from the Akuma's impact. I gasped as I saw the Akuma's twisted form raise to its feet. "Traitor…" it moaned out as it placed a hand on its helmeted head. Father and the other man gasped at the sight. The Akuma let out a ravaged scream. "You're… a traitor! Traitor… Noah traitor! I'll kill you!" the Akuma launched itself to the man with intent to kill. I lurched forward with the natural instinct to help, but stopped with wide eyes as my father blocked the attack with his left arm. He pushed the Akuma away, and attempted to slash at it with his claws, but the Akuma dodged with ease. He positioned himself in a defensive position. "No…" the Akuma growled towards my father and the man. "I shall tell the Earl… I shall tell the Millennium Earl of your traitorous ways!"

"NO!" Father yelled as the Akuma sped off in the opposite direction. I immediately gave chase across the roof tops, easily keeping up with the speed of father and the other man, who actually seemed to run pretty fast. My mind raced with ideas; none of them I was willing to do, for I was afraid I would reveal myself in front of father. At the same time, questions appeared in my head. '_Did he call that man a Noah? Why is father with that man…?' _Those questions and similar one raced through my brain, making me almost believe that none of this could be real. But if this wasn't the truth… what was?

"Crown Belt!" My father cried out as a strange rope-like object reached out towards the Akuma. The Akuma dodged it, though only by a little. I was intrigued by my father's use of his unusual innocence. Though, it may not have been so unusual, being that I hadn't witnessed many other types before. The chase led close to the hotel the Reynaldo and I had stayed, and worry began to wash over me. I began to wonder where Uncle Rey had gone. Fear took over at the mere thought of something happening to him. I began to speed up, running ahead of father and even ahead of the Akuma to keep an eye out for Reynaldo. I soon found him.

Around the next right turn, Reynaldo stood there calling out my name. My vision snapped to the Akuma on my left, seeing that it had many signs that it would soon turn right. I increased my speed a hundred percent, soon launching myself down next to Reynaldo and landing with a thud. He turned around to see me and a smile appeared on his face. "Alici-"

I turned to him quickly. "You need to run!" I yelled, hoping that my message was clear enough as is. Reynaldo gasped at me, his eyes wide and his face fading to pale.

"You're… your eyes…" My eyes grew wide at his statement. I had completely forgotten about the gear that appeared before my eyes, telling me of the Akuma's presence. I shook my head, causing it to disappear, and pushed Reynaldo's side.

"You need to go-!" From the corner of my eyes, I saw the Akuma turn the corner. I turned towards it, my body in a defensive stance as it became aware of me. The Akuma ran at me, outstretching his arms as his tongue flicked out of his mouth in a greedy way.

"Ahaha! A quick snack!" The Akuma cried, causing me to flinch. As I readied myself for the attack, I saw my father and the man sprinting around the corner.

My jaw clenched. There was no turning back. I had no choice. As the Akuma closed in, I saw my father's eyes widen in horror. He stretched out his arm to me, a desperate pleading sign. I tried to smile at him, as if to reassure him. He cried out to me in horror. "Alicia!"

Time seemed to slow down as the Akuma's claws nearly touched my neck. At that exact moment, a smirk appeared on my face. "Gale Blade!" I propelled myself forward, turning as my body as I shot towards the Akuma. I held out my arms, spinning towards the Akuma that was completely unaware that it was lead to his doom. I drilled into the Akuma's chest, hearing its cries and screams as I exited from the other side. I leveled myself out, shooting the blood that swarmed around me into the back to the Akuma I drilled through so that the blood would not cover my clothes. The Akuma collapsed, revealing Reynaldo on the other side. I took a step toward him. "Are you Okay?" I asked, my answer being a shaky nod. I smiled to Reynaldo, knowing that killing the Akuma wasn't what shocked him. It was the fact that I killed it in front of my father. I held eye contact with him for a moment, hoping to grab a little courage before I turned around to face my father.

I had to take a deep breath before I turned around. Father stared at me wide eyed. I knew that the shock would make him speechless, but I was more worried about what would happen after the shock faded. Would he understand, or be completely against it in every way? I couldn't comprehend the thought; it was too much of an unusual subject. My mind rambling ceased once I felt a hand on my shoulder. Looking behind me, I realized it was Reynaldo's hand. "I'm sorry, Allen," Reynaldo called, regret and uneasiness filling his voice. "I forgot to tell you… Alicia… she has innocence,"

Father was utterly speechless, his face revealing only disbelief. The man behind him stepped next to him, motioning towards me. "Of course she has innocence… How could you not know?"

Father snapped out of his trance and gasped at the man. "What? Tyki, you knew? Why wouldn't you mention that?"

The man called Tyki glared and poked father's chest. "I thought you knew,"

"Excuse me," I called, walking forwards and gaining they're attention. I stepped in front of Father, my face void of emotion. "You don't hate me now, do you?"

Father's face showed complete horror. "What? How could you ask such a thing?"

I looked down at the ground, tears filling my light blue eyes as I pondered how to say it. I swallowed down the lump in my throat. "I have innocence… a parasitic type, but that's not really the point. I left home to find you, but I may have made things worse. Because I left home, I've fought so many creatures, and met people…" I bit my lip, thinking of Lavi and Timothy, the friends of my father, whom I'd wish to call my own friends. The thought of Lenalee, who could very well be my mother, made the tears in my eyes fall. I finally looked back up to father. "I've also dug into your past, instead of waiting to find out from you. I've lied to many people, I've hidden my true intentions, and now, as I stand before you, after putting you through so much, I've revealed that I have innocence! You really must hate me!"

I blinked my tear filled eyes and the white that surrounded my father disappeared. Before I could understand what happened, he wrapped his arms tightly around my body. "No, no, no, Alicia! Everything is fine! It's okay! I could never hate you! Never, ever!" He pulled away slightly, brushing away my tears like the caring father he was. "It's okay that you have innocence, and it's fine that you're curious. I'm just so glad that you're with me now… I'm so glad you're not hurt…" I was shocked to see the tears in my father's eyes. I wrapped my arms around his neck, a smile appearing on my face.

"Thank you so much… I had no idea what you'd think. I am very pleased that…" I couldn't finish my sentence. I tried my best to dry my tears with my sleeves as father chuckled and began to wipe them off my face before drying his own tears. The man behind him looked slightly confused.

"I'm shocked. I had no idea that Allen didn't know about this girl's strange innocence… Hey, wait a minute, how old are you? I think I heard six before…"

A gasp escaped my lips. "I'm eight!" I cried to the strange man behind father. "Why does everyone keep saying otherwise? I try my best to sound polite and mature: I don't want to sound like a child!"

Father looked at me in wonder, his head slightly inclined. "You think being polite makes you seem older?"

His question at the moment seemed a little out of place. I blinked at him as my eyebrows folded together. "Doesn't it?"

I couldn't quite explain the expression that appeared on my father's face. I was about to asked what he was thinking when I noticed his eyes beginning to water again. He brushed my bangs out of my eyes at that moment. "Alicia, will you join me by my side…" a wide smile appeared on my father's face. "As an Exorcist?"

I smiled at his words as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Yes!" I cried out as he returned my hug. He felt so warm that I thought I would melt. I couldn't believe my senses. I could see him his face, hug him tight, hear his voice, and smell his natural, real scent. Tears of happiness finally filled my eyes at that moment. With a smile on my face I decided that, though I may never know the reason for that look on his face, it didn't really matter. I had finally returned to my father, and now I will join him by his side…

As an Exorcist.

**Yay! I had to rewrite this ending! (lol) but ya, I'm working on the next chapter now! ^^**

**I'd like to appeal to the artist out there. I would like someone to draw something to be this story's cover art ^^ doesn't have to be a masterpiece, (I mean, look at what I draw…) If I get many good ones, I'll put it up for a vote, or I'll just swap the pictures sometimes, you know :) I would appreciate it! Can't wait to see what you clever readers can come up with!**

**Alicia has four votes of favoritism, while Reynaldo has one (Yay!) If anyone else would like to vote on their favorite OC, just head to my profile and simply press a few buttons!**

**I got so nervous before I updated this chapter! If there is a mistake, please tell me! Anyway, direct your attention to that new box thingy that fanfiction has graciously placed below the story, and type your mind XP**


	14. Chapter 14

**13,817 words! You just can't hate me, can you?**

**School is coming soon O.o I can hardly believe it! I'm going to have to write for English class instead of for fun.**

**I guess you can already tell that I enjoy this chapter (soo… many… words!) and I hope you enjoy it too! I might start crying if I think about how close we are getting to the end, so I'll just say happy readings and let you have your day!**

A partially lit room consisting of a bed, some chairs, and screens hanging from the ceiling. There was a door to the bathroom and a door leading to the hallway. And she was on the bed, her face twisted in a pain that I knew I would never understand, so I would simply let her squeeze my hand.

The doctor was at the other end of the bed, calling to the nurses who were there for support. Our friends were on the other side of the bed, basically across from me. The people who cared for us the most were allowed into the room, and they would call their support and whisper comforting words that I knew would not ease such pain that she felt, but would put in her confidence so that she may pull through.

Her head lurched forward one last time before she rested her head on the pillow. The sound of a slap and the most beautiful sound we had ever heard filled the air; the sound of a child's first breaths as a cry filled the air. As a nurse wrapped the baby in a blanket, the doctor announced for only the mother and father to be present for the child's first moments.

Goodbyes were called from our beloved friends who left with tear-filled eyes. I stood next to her that moment, gazing upon her and our newborn baby: The most beautiful sight in the world. I saw a smile on her face that came with the becoming of a mother. She then turned to me, her eyes filled with tears that shined on her cheeks as she offered the child to me. Carefully, with the gentlest of movements, I brought the small child into my arms. "Hello," I whispered to the tiny being. "I'm you're…. I'm your daddy," I felt a smile on my face as I looked upon the child in my arms. "And your name is… Alicia,"

Allen's eyes suddenly opened that moment as he awoke from his deep sleep. He moved into a sitting position as his right hand moved to rub his head. He looked to his left to see a room void of life. A small, sad smile appeared on his lips. "Just a dream…" He muttered as he looked to the clock on the wall. It was 6:45, and he could plainly see the sun rising in the window. "It's always just a dream…"

The door swung open and the sound of light footsteps ran in his direction. "Father!" cried a small girl as she jumped onto his bed and wrapped her arms around his form. Allen was startled by the sudden warmth from another being. He blinked as he rubbed his right hand on the head of the small girl.

"Alicia? I thought you would still be asleep…" Allen looked to his right, were the small girl had been peacefully sleeping the night before. That side of the bed was neatly made and tucked perfectly. It surprised Allen that he had not noticed her absence sooner.

The small girl shook her head as she pulled away from Allen. "I've been awake for a while, and I didn't really want to wake you up, so I crawled out of bed _very_ carefully. Uncle Rey was up, and he took me downstairs to meet Ms. Arlene," Alicia began to giggle, slight mischief seen in her eyes as she looked up to Allen knowingly. "She didn't seem to know that you had a daughter, father. She was very shocked, and I could tell that she _liked_ you,"

Though Allen was quite flustered with Alicia's words, on his face appeared a quaint smile. "You're such an early bird," He cried as he pinched the bridge of Alicia's nose. Alicia wiggled her nose in an attempt to free it from his grasp, but she couldn't seem to wiggling it enough. Allen chuckled as he ran his ringers through her hair. It wasn't too hard to change the subject if he distracted her with simple childlike play. Yes, she was very mature for he age, but a child nonetheless. "My goodness, you've gotten big! Why do you only grow when I'm not around?"

Alicia smiled widely. "You think I've grown?" she cried as she leaned forward on her knees, but suddenly leaned back with a disappointed look on her face. "Everyone has called me short…"

"Short?" Allen gasped in shook. "I was your height at Eleven, don't tell me you're short!"

Alicia giggled as she wrapped her arms around Allen once again. He took such a moment to hold her close to him, overjoyed in the fact that he finally had her back in his arms. He hated the time away from her more than anything. He would usually spend weeks in the village, hoping that he would never have to go back to fight for a war that had no end. But in the end, he would remind himself that he was doing such a thing for the sake of his daughter, and begrudgingly return to his duties for a month at a time.

But the last few months had been hard on him, and he found that he could not return to her. His quest with Tyki was starting to gain momentum, but at the same time Akuma had begun slowly moving closer and closer to the haven that he had built for his daughter. Allen finally realized that she couldn't stay there forever. The Earl would eventually find out about that place. He knew he had to get her out of there sooner or later. But as he went to finally take her, an Akuma appeared dangerously close to the town and cried for innocence…

Innocence that was revealed to be Alicia's.

Allen's grip on Alicia couldn't get any tighter. He had missed her so much, and it almost pained him to bring her into such a dangerous world. It was a world which consisted of innocence, Akuma, and suffering. And with Allen's new found knowledge of the 'Gift Barer' and how that may be Alicia, he knew he would have to step up his game. Nothing was going to happen to his daughter.

He would keep the information secret for now. It was nothing Alicia should be concerned about. Everything would be settled soon enough.

"Father?" Alicia's questionable tone brought Allen back to reality. He pulled away from Alicia, a small smile on his lips as he looked down to her. Alicia smiled as her hand reached up to him. Allen's breath was taken away as she ran her fingers through his white hair that fell next to his face. "I'm glad I'm with you again, Father,"

Allen blinked twice as he stared down that the small brunette in front of him. A large smile appeared on his face as his reached up his left hand to hold hers. "You're just like…" Allen couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence. He simply placed a small kiss on Alicia's head at that moment, causing her face to be engulfed in a welcomed blush. Allen stood from the bed and grabbed a clean shirt from his suite case. As he looked over the simple long-sleeved, collared shirt, he smiled softly. Alicia was never bothered with his deformed arm or the scar that rested on his face. She had always accepted him as he was. A sigh escaped his lips as he pulled his shirt over his arms. Of course, he knew that could all change when he told Alicia everything she wanted to know. She would start looking at everything with a darker view, knowing that some horrible story was behind every little detail. Such things frightened him.

Allen looked from the corner of his eyes to see Alicia sliding off the bed. He saw that she was wearing an outfit that Reynaldo had picked out, consisting of a jacket and skirt with some boots. He thought it to be very cute, especially with her hair in pigtails. A small golem crawled up the back of her jacket and appeared on her shoulder as she smiled up to Allen. She turned and blinked at the golem before a look of panic took over her face. "Oh, father!" She cried as she turned her attention back to Allen. "I almost forgot… Mr. Tyki is back! He said he's ready when you are to meet with Ms. Hevlaska!"

Allen blinked as he buttoned up his shirt. "O…Oh!" He cried as he hurriedly began to dress, grabbing his exorcist attire on instinct. "That's right… we have to check your innocence for its rating,"

Alicia gave out a squeal. "I'm so excited! I get to be an exorcist, just like you!"

Allen chuckled as he ran his hand through his hair. "You don't just _become_ an exorcist," he smirked as he pushed his hair out of his face. "You're supposed to train to better understand your innocence first. You have to-"

"You're not serious, right?" Allen blinked at Alicia's serious expression. She stared him dead in the eye, as if she was daring him to say that he was. Allen simply chuckled. He couldn't help but feel like there was some underlining meaning to her reaction.

"Yes, I'm serious. Understanding your innocence could save your life," a devious smirk appeared on Allen's face. "You also have to pass math…"

"Father!" Alicia cried as she grabbed his hand, an understanding smile on her face. "Please don't mess with me. I promise that I'll learn about my innocence…" Alicia batted her eyes and gave the most pitiful puppy dog eyes she could muster. "But please… Just don't make me do long division!"

Allen chuckled as he swept his arms under Alicia and pulled her into his arms. "Okay, Ally-girl. Come on, we've got a busy day ahead of us,"

_**/O\**_

"_Man, it stinks that Cilicia doesn't have innocence. It would have been so great if we could take her away with just that…" Lavi stated as he held up a large sheet and began folding it. "Now we have to find an actual reason to take her away. I can't believe what she's going through,"_

"_I know," Allen sighed as he grabbed the opposite end of Lavi's sheet and helped him finish folding. This was a typical pass time he and Lavi acquired. It made Allen feel like less of a burden to the house keepers and such. He eyed Cilicia on the bed, who sat quietly while stroking Timcanpy's wings. A small smile was on her lips as Timcanpy snuggled into her side. Allen smiled at her breathtaking form, wondering how he found himself to be so lucky as to have her. "But we will get you out of here, Cilicia,"_

_Cilicia looked up to Allen, a grateful smile across her lips. It was plainly routine, being that she heard him say it so often. But that doesn't mean that she didn't believe Allen; she believed with all her heart that he would be the one to take her from there. _

_Lavi sat the folded sheet in the basket at the edge of the bed and stretched out his arms. "If only it could be easier! The Order doesn't pull people out of bad situations on a whim, so we can't just take her on the accounts of this… unusual abuse," Lavi sat on the bed, a deep sigh escaping his lips. He turned to look at Cilicia fully. "We could say that we believe that your powers could be beneficial to the Order: that will get you out of here,"_

"_No," Allen shook his head, stealing Lavi's attention. In his head replayed the stories of the old experiments that used to take place at the order. Experiments involving innocence that would eventually lead to one's death. Though he didn't believe they would try to do that, he didn't want anyone running tests over her. He couldn't imagine to what lengths Central would go to find out the cause of her strange power, but he knew he wouldn't let them have the chance. "We can't do that," Allen stated simply. He was relieved when Lavi gave an understanding nod._

_With a knock on the door, Cilicia quickly pulled the blankets over her, causing Timcanpy to role to the edge of the bed. Cilicia held herself very still as Allen went to the door and opened it. A smile appeared on his face. "Hey, Reynaldo," Allen greeted as he ushered the man inside and shut the door behind him. "It's Okay, Cilicia. It's just your brother," _

_Cilicia pulled herself out from under her blankets, revealing a large smile to the man who she called her brother. He walked down the incline that led to the center of the room, holding his hat in his hand as he made eye contact with Cilicia. "Hello, Reynaldo! How are you this evening?"_

"_I've been good," Reynaldo called as he made his way to Cilicia's bed. He sat on the edge, resting his hand on his sister's shoulder. "How are you?"_

_Cilicia released a small giggle, finding her brother's constant worrying to be slightly amusing. "I've felt better and better every day since I've stopped taking the Medications. I think it's been a month now…" Cilicia looked out of the corner of her eye to look at Allen. Allen smiled in return, gazing lovingly at the girl before him. Their relationship had only gotten better over the past month in which she had withdrawn from taking the medication. They had grown to care for each other in a more 'couple' kind of way. Allen had hoped to keep their relationship more professional or friendly, but he soon realized that such a thing would not be easy. She was a beautiful girl with plenty of spirit, and he couldn't fight the almost unnatural lure to her. _

_Allen had even spoken his past to her. He was surprised at how understanding she was of him. She didn't judge him, she listened carefully, and she was extremely moved by his stories. She spoke of herself as well, how her mother had died, and her withdrawal from everyone but her brother, who refused to give up in trying to reach her. He homeschooled her ever since she was ten, teaching her right from wrong along with the normal academics. Though she usually had a smile on her face, not a day goes by when she doesn't think about her mother. She expressed her worries over not seeing her older sister in over a year now, and how she believed the rumors that she was married to a demon. It was relieving to Allen how they could relate with their past experiences, and share their found knowledge in that. There were also no secrets, and Allen was pleased with such._

_And with Link on a three week vacation, their relationship was spiking. They were not intruded upon, and they even spent many nights together in the same bed. Lavi was around during most of the day, keeping an eye on Allen for Link's sake, but mostly following maids and yelling out 'Strike!' Cilicia enjoyed Lavi's company, also, though his attempts at flirting with her sailed straight over her head. For the most part, Allen was happy to get some time alone with her, but as one may guess, two teenagers alone together were just screaming trouble. But with a smirk Allen thought __**'Trouble wasn't what Cilicia was screaming that night,'**_

_With another knock on the door, Cilicia hid under her blankets again, pretending to be sickly. Lavi ran to the door, opening it slowly, but suddenly throwing it open. "Lenalee's here!" he cried in joy as he pulled her in and shut the door behind her._

_Allen gazed over to Lenalee's small form. In the past month he had not seen her, but his feelings for her had not dwindled in the least bit. Even as he grew to love Cilicia more every day, his feelings for Lenalee were just as strong. It was something known well to Cilicia, who wasn't in the least bit bothered that he and Lenalee were together. In fact, as Allen peeked a short look to Cilicia, he saw that she was quite pleased to see Lenalee. Allen smiled as he looked back to Lenalee. Her hair had grown longer, curving around her shoulders delicately. She pulled back her bangs so that they would not be in her eyes. She was walking down the incline slowly towards Allen. She stopped when she reached the bottom, to which Allen held out his arms to Lenalee, who instantly accepted the offer and hugged Allen with all her might. "I missed you!" she cried, her face engulfed in a deep anxious blush. _

"_I missed you too," Allen whispered as he pressed his lips against her forehead. Lenalee blushed as she held Allen tighter. He didn't understand just how much she missed him. She loved him with all her heart and she desired to never leave his arms._

"_Ewww! Get a room!" Lavi cried as he covered his eyes. Allen chuckled as Lenalee pulled away from his arms, a bright red lighting up her soft cheeks. She looked into Allen's eyes, her deep lavender eyes revealing that something was unsettling her. Allen frowned as he ran his finger along her cheek._

"_What's wrong, Lenalee?" As Allen asked the question, she instantaneously avoided eye contact. She stared at the wall for a moment before shaking her head, which only increased Allen's confusion. "Do you want to talk…?"_

_Lenalee grimaced for a moment, worry stretching across her face. "Yes… can we step outside?"_

"_Um, wow, tension…" Lavi muttered as he scratched the back of his head. "I'll just leave," Lavi called as he strolled to the door. He put his hand on the door knob and turned to look at Reynaldo. "You coming?"_

_Reynaldo gave a short nod. "Yes, I think I'll join you," he stated before he placed a kiss on Cilicia's head. Cilicia began to pull off her blankets, but Reynaldo stopped her. "Where do you think you're going?"_

_Cilicia blinked up innocently to her brother. "I'm going so that I can give them some privacy…"_

_Reynaldo shook his head. "You can't leave your room; you're supposed to be on the medication. If you get up and walk out, and just one person sees you, it'll be all over the house in minutes!" Cilicia lowered her head at that statement. Allen frowned as he looked at the sad look that came over Cilicia's state. Yes, she looked much healthier than before, and her energy had returned to her, but she could not leave the room whatsoever. If her father ever found out, she would be immediately put back the medication. As Allen looked upon Cilicia, he felt guilty. She had turned into a prisoner in her own home, and there was nothing he could do about it presently._

_Lenalee blinked in confusion before she understood. "Oh, we can leave if we'll bother you," Lenalee called as she began to turn. Cilicia shook her head._

"_You're never a bother, Lenalee! I enjoy your company," _

_Lenalee smiled at Cilicia's words. Cilicia slid under her blankets again as Lavi and Reynaldo exited the room. After the door closed Cilicia returned to a sitting position, which caused Lenalee to become confused. "Why are you doing that?" Lenalee asked, true confusion coming from her words. Allen smiled sadly as he sat on the edge of Cilicia's bed._

"_Well… turns out that what her father had been giving her wasn't medication to overcome some strange illness. He was actually… injecting her with strange diseases,"_

"_What?" Lenalee cried in horror. "Why would he do that?"_

"_To try to suppress my powers," Cilicia whispered her answer, looking off to the side so she wouldn't look Lenalee in the eye. "Around the time the Akuma appeared, I started to acquire strange powers. They became very powerful, and I could do many things, but my father claimed that there was something __**possessing**__ me. He noticed that when I caught a small cold, my powers seemed to weaken in order to heal my body. Ever since then, he has injected me with __**viruses **__and __**pathogens**__… the stronger and deadlier the disease, the longer it suppresses the powers,"_

"_Why… that's awful!" Lenalee cried. Cilicia gave a small smile._

"_Yes… Reynaldo overheard some of the nurses say that they had even given me some fatal diseases. All it's done is put me down for an extra week,"_

_Lenalee gasped in horror. "Why haven't we done something about this?"_

"_We tried," Allen admitted, running his hand through his hair in an attempt to calm his emotions. It was not easy to see Cilicia in such a way. She could have been killed by any of the diseases that were injected into her, all of them living and thriving in her body. Even if her powers were to cure her, pathogens always remain in the body. It was a scary thought, especially if one day… her powers disappeared. Allen shook his head, trying to rid it of the horrifying thoughts of death. "Komui said that if innocence was behind her power, we could immediately take her to the order to become an exorcist. But… she doesn't have innocence, and it appears that Central won't allow us to take her away,"_

"_That's so terrible," Lenalee cried as she finally sat next to Allen. Allen wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer to him. He breathed in her scent, finally realizing how much he missed it. Of course, Allen did think of himself as despicable. To love one so deeply, but have such a relationship with another behind her back. Yes, he was despicable. But he believed that, once Cilicia was away from here, there could be an understanding. Someone's heart would be broken eventually, but he didn't completely know who… But at that moment he held Lenalee close to him, wishing for her to forever stay with him. As he held her, he noticed that she began shaking. Concern covered his features._

"_Lenalee?" he asked as he pulled her closer to him. It was then that he noticed that on Lenalee's face were tears streaming down her cheeks. He gasped as he lifted her chin and wiped away her tears. "What's wrong? Look, don't worry about Cilicia. She's strong, she can handle this. She believes she can hang tight until we can find a way to get her out,"_

_Lenalee shook her head. "I… I know Cilicia can handle herself. I know she can. That's not… I have something to tell you," Lenalee wiped the tears away from her eyes as she looked up to Allen. Slowly but shakily she grabbed his hand, a small smile appearing on her face. Allen returned the smile, hoping that it would give her a type of strength for her to continue. It seemed to work as she gripped Allen's hands tighter and took a deep breath. "Please, just… don't freak out,"_

_Allen chuckled as he lifted up Lenalee's hand and kissed it softly. "I don't think anything you could say to me would freak me-"_

"_I'm pregnant," _

_Allen's eyes became wide as he stared upon Lenalee's face. "Pregnant…" He breathed the word as if it was alien to him. His eyebrows creased as he looked to Lenalee in confusion. "Like… like a baby?" Lenalee nodded, a small, incredibly sad smile on her lips. __**'A baby…'**__ Allen thought as he tried to take in the news. His eyes drifted to her stomach for a split-second, but he quickly returned his gaze to her eyes. "How… how far along…?"_

_Lenalee's face burned slightly as she recalled how long. "Two… almost three months now. I didn't want to say anything before. I was just so scared…" Allen couldn't comprehend the thought. His eyes lowered down to Lenalee's stomach once again. How could a baby be there, in such a tiny, petite frame? A child, who would have his genes, who would be like him… a baby, which gave unconditional love to its parents, and would grow, and learn… _

_Slowly, Allen lifted his eyes back to Lenalee's face. In her eyes he saw tears filling up, ready to fall from her eyes at any moment. And slowly, what appeared on Allen's face was a smile. "That's great!" Allen cried as he took her hands in his, and beamed to Lenalee. "Wow, I can't believe… I wonder if it'll be a boy or a girl. What will the baby do? Who will it become?"_

_The sad tears that filled Lenalee's eyes fell down her cheeks from shock. "You're… you're not…?"_

_Allen chuckled as he wiped away the tears that fell from Lenalee's face. "Not what? Why are you crying? This is good news, silly!" Allen's smile turned sad as he continued to stare into Lenalee's eyes. "I'm sorry, though. This may be too soon for this to be happening, and I know this is going to prevent you from doing your duties, but how can anyone possibly be sad by the coming of new life?"_

_The look on Lenalee's face revealed that she had not expected such a reaction from Allen. She slowly nodded her head in agreement as she squeezed Allen's hands. "But… but what about Komui?" Lenalee asked. "He doesn't even know we're dating… once he finds out that his little sister is pregnant…!"_

_Allen shook his head. "Don't you worry about that right now…"_

"_But what about everyone else at the order? How are they going to react?"_

_Allen shook his head again. "I don't care," his words took Lenalee off guard. She stared at him incredulously as he lowered his head, a quaint smile on his face. "Let them say whatever they want: I don't care. And don't let them get the better of you, either, Lenalee," Allen lifted his head, his eyes shining with pride and happiness. "You are going to bring in a beautiful, innocent child into the world. Don't let anything they say get to you,"_

_The next thing Allen knew, Lenalee had wrapped her arms around him tightly. Allen held her in his arms, holding her in the gentlest, most loving way her could. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Cilicia's small form huddled in the darkness. He pulled away from Lenalee slightly, concern shone across his face. "Cilicia?" he called to the woman on the other end of the bed. Lenalee pulled away from Allen to look at Cilicia's form. _

_Tears fell fresh from Cilicia's eyes as she looked upon Allen and Lenalee. She absentmindedly ran her fingers across Timcanpy's wings, and in return Timcanpy crawled on to her chest so that she could hug him tightly to her. Lenalee tilted her head. "Cilicia, what's wrong?" Lenalee asked as she moved closer to Cilicia's side. She crawled next to Cilicia, wrapping her arms around her in a comforting way. Cilicia shook her head, more tears falling as she did so._

"_Nothing's wrong," Cilicia whispered. Once she opened her eyes, she looked directly at Allen. He sat at the end of the bed, confusion being the only thing that could be seen his face. Cilicia smiled softly at him as fresh tears streamed down his cheeks. "I'm really… happy for you,"_

_**/O\**_

I yawned as I walked into the cafeteria. The Order was back to normal today, as if the party yesterday had never existed. Yet the people seemed invigorated, as if they suddenly had become more energized from the day before. I saw my friends laughing as they sat at our usual table. The newcomers would call that table the 'veteran table' because my friends and I have always sat there. At the moment, I saw Timothy sitting across from Lavi and Miranda. Kanda sat further down the table, on the same side as Lavi. Timothy grabbed some toast off his plate and put in his mouth. "Seeya, guys! I'm off to do a mission in France!" He called as he ran past me in a hurry. I smiled and waved to him quickly.

"Have a good mission, Timothy!" I called before he could turn the corner. He smiled at me, almost dropping the toast in the process. Then he was gone. I went to the counter to give my order to Jerri before I sat down at my usual table. Miranda and Lavi were talking casually, which actually stunned me slightly. Miranda wasn't typically the one to talk casually. She would usually sit quietly and eat quickly so that she could hurry back to keeping herself busy. "Hello, Miranda, Lavi," I said as I sat down in Timothy's former spot.

Miranda turned to me with a grin. "Hello, Lenalee! How are you?"

I smiled at Miranda's happy tone. I was glad to see her so cheerful. It was uplifting to see such a thing. "I'm very good. Wow, you seem to be in a good mood today, Miranda,"

Miranda's smile seemed sincere as she ran her hand through her hair. "Yes, well… I've realized that I need to stop focusing on the past. What's most important has yet to come, hasn't it?"

I couldn't find the words to express my feelings at that moment. A smile traced my face as I nodded to her. It was true; it was all yet to come. I knew exactly where she got that idea. It was from Alicia, as she reminded us all of Allen's famous words. 'Never stop walking, keep moving' and its many variants. Lavi smiled at me as he put his hand on Miranda's shoulders. "It's good to have you back!" He cried to her with a smile. She simply nodded shyly in return.

Krory joined us as well, sitting next to me and chatting. His mood shocking me more than Miranda's. It was rare to see him speak, and he even smiled as we continued to eat our breakfast. It was extremely refreshing to be this way again. I almost felt as if we had traveled back in time. Kanda seemed to be drawn towards us as he slowly moved closer and closer with each subject. He soon got close enough for Lavi to finally feel obligated to include him in the conversation. His viewpoints and moods hadn't changed much over the years, but everyone seemed to enjoy Kanda's presence nonetheless. He was the first piece of our past we got back after the Alma innocent; the strange phenomenon where Kanda and Alma Karma disappeared through a white Ark portal that appeared from nowhere. Central was furious, completely outraged at that appearance, and searched for months for any clues as to how or why that portal opened. They found nothing, but around three months later he returned. Actually, I found him in a bar… well, that's a long story that's for a later time. It was just nice having a casual conversation with him.

All the happy conversing nearly froze when a familiar man walked into the cafeteria. I didn't know what to say as he made his order and proceeded to take a seat at the table behind me. He sighed heavily and his face fell into his hands as he leaned on the table. I noticed Lavi blink curiously in his direction before he stood up and walked around the table. "What's up, two-dots?" he asked as he sat next to Howard Link at that moment. I watched casually, trying to hold back my raging feelings. He was always searching, always looking for him… but he had a completely different reason than Lavi for doing so. His one wish was to get Allen in custody.

None of us really knew why, other than him abandoning the order: And thus, giving into the '14th's will'. But he always seemed to have this strange drive about him, as if it was something personal. It was believed that he took Allen's disappearance as an insult to his status, and wanted to bring him to justice in some weird 'honor' thing. That wasn't what I thought. Somewhere deep inside me told me that he wanted to find Allen as much as we did, and the only way he could do it was to pursue him in the only way Central would let him. So my feelings always waged a war inside of me once I saw him. In the end, I would simply not confront him. That was Lavi's job.

Link slowly lifted his head and turned to Lavi with an annoyed glare. "Don't call me that," He said as he straightened his posture. The way he held himself almost looked as if he was hung-over, but I couldn't imagine why.

Lavi chuckled as he leaned against the table in a nonchalant way. "Okay, okay… So, how's your search suiting you?"

Link's expression changed to something I couldn't quite explain. A troubled look appeared on his face, and it seemed to frustrate him in a way. He shook his head as he turned around to face the rest of us, leaning against the table the same way Lavi did. "Not well, I'm afraid. I was so close… so close to finding him in Manchester! But, I regret to inform, I had no such luck,"

Lavi blinked at Link for a moment, a look of cluelessness on his face. A quirky smile appeared on his lips. "Wow, that's the most information I've got from you in a long while. I was expecting the usual, 'that's classified information,' routine,"

Link let out another sigh. "Well, under normal circumstances I wouldn't dare speak a word, but conditions often shift in the Order now and then. What of you? How's your search going?"

Lavi's eyes became wide as he fidgeted in his seat. "I, uh… I don't know what you mean," Lavi lied through his teeth. Link rolled his eyes.

"Central is quiet aware that your reasons for travel are not of the normal general protocols. They know your purpose is the search for Allen Walker, and they have come to terms with that fact. Besides, being a Bookman, they feel they do not have the authority over you," Lavi smiled at Link's words, though in his eyes I saw his true feelings. He shrugged at Link at that moment, as if to say that he knew exactly what Link meant, and that it was the truth. He began to scratch his nose, a smirk on his lips.

"Well, when you put it that way… I actually happened to speak with an eyewitness. She had a full on conversation with Allen," Link's eyes became wide as he turned to face Lavi completely.

"You're not serious…?" Link cried as he stared wide eyed at the smug man next to him. Lavi began to chuckle.

"Oh I am! She said-"

Soon came the sound of whooping and hollering. My eyes finally departed from the conversation taking place behind me and turned to the entrance of the cafeteria as a group of people walked in. A smile came upon my face as I noticed Collin in the middle of a group female exorcist and scientist. Collin was one of the more rowdy members of the order, one who boosted in his 'war glories'. He was only nineteen years old, and rumor had it that he was actually raised on a farm. Of course, one would never guess that an obviously antagonistic man would come from such a place. He was average looking, with a small cut on his upper lip that he believed attracted women. Though he was arrogant and selfish, he could also be a really nice guy when he wanted to be. And let's just say, he didn't _not_ want to be a nice guy around me.

But the group followed him like a group of lost puppies to his usual table, which was on the other side of the room. This wouldn't be such an odd thing, if it wasn't for the obnoxiously loud conversation he was in the middle of. "You see, I was born to be a fighter, ladies. It's my passion, my reason for being! It's why I take so much pride in what I do, especially with such a glorious outcome we shall all achieve one day!"

I basically sweat dropped. Not that it was a surprise that he was telling this story (again), but it would have been nice if he could change up the wording just a little. I was about to reface Link and Lavi, but someone caught my eye. She was the newest of our exorcist; a silent, pretty girl by the name of An. She was the same as me, being of Chinese decent, and I tried to use that excuse to know more about her. But she was a stubborn one, and all I knew was that she begrudgingly left a sick grandmother with the rest of her family. I had remembered seeing her and being jealous of her natural beauty, but at this moment, her pretty face revealed a hint of agitation as Collin's voice rose. "I sometimes believe that God made me just to be his soldier of glory; to rise up in battle against the blasphemous creations that are the Akuma! And I hope to be as glorified and remember as the ones before us, and to become a great legend of the Black Order!"

"Would you shut up?" my eyes grew wide as An stood from her table and glared harshly at Collin. "You speak of war as if it is glorious… you speak of being an Exorcist as if it is something that God has blessed upon you! This… this isn't a holy thing! It is pain and suffering…"

Collin looked upon An with distaste, as if he couldn't comprehend her words. "Interpret my miracle how you please; what is pain and suffering to you is glory and honor to me! Do not chastise me with your morals!"

An huffed at his words. "Can you hear yourself? You're the same age as me, yet you sound like an old man speaking of his glory days! We fight a war that the world is blind about! We hide in the shadow's killing creatures that shouldn't even exist... And innocence!" An referred to the weapon strapped to her side. "This is a substance that choses people, judging us as to whether or not we are _worthy_ of wielding it. Everything about this is devastatingly cruel!"

Collin glared at An. "If you despise war so much, why are you here in the first place?"

"You think I had a choice?" An cried. Her form was shaking, and as she yelled frustrated tears fell from her eyes. "I was forced to come here against my will. I left my home, my family, to fight a war that I want no part of. This is the equivalent of Hell to me, and you come here every day saying that you were blessed by God for he hath brought you your dream!"

"And he has!" Collin retorted. "I was stuck in a small town in Belgium. I was supposed to take over the family farm! All I wanted was a way out, a way to go on an adventure and see the world!" I couldn't believe what I saw before me. Collin's almighty exterior had been broken, and he actually seemed to be his age as he ranted on. He gradually moved forwards before he found himself in front of An, yelling down at her small figure. "And that one prayer was answered when that man in white came! He presented to me a way to leave that farm _and_ make a difference in the world!"

"A man in…" I didn't realize how loud I spoke until both Collin and An stared at me. I immediately found myself flustered, unsure of what to say or do. I gulped before I improvised. "I… A man in white came to you, Collin?" Collin blinked at me for a moment before a light blush appeared on his face. His gaze left mine, and he avoided eye contact with me. At that moment my heartbeat sputtered out of control. "Collin…? What's wrong?" I asked, my voice betraying the calm exterior I was portraying. I could feel the prying eyes of Lavi and Link on the back of my head. Collin looked at me for a moment, his eyes apologetic. Noticing such a thing confused me. What could he be hiding? And, could it possibly…?

"Oh, here we go again!" An shrieked as she threw her arms into the air before she crossed them over her chest stubbornly. "You're obsessed, aren't you? You've been telling that story for so long you've started to believe it! What were you hoping for with that story, a mascot?" She fell to her knees and entwined her fingers as she sarcastically cried. "I thought I was dead, but a white flash in the sky saved me… Bless thee, Allen Walker!"

"An!" Collin cried in shock. "How disrespectful! Besides, those stories are truth!"

"No they aren't! They're all lies! None of that has ever happened!"

"You're wrong! They are true, I know them to be! Think about the Ark, and the people who are only here because of him… and also Alicia Ally, the girl who talked to him-!"

"Lies!" An screamed from the ground as her hands moved to her head and gripped her hair. "It's all lies! We've never used that Ark, and they have no proof of actually meeting him, especially that little girl! It's all lies to convince us to fight for this god forsaken war!"

My eyes were wide as I gapped upon An on the floor. Pain twisted into my very core. I knew that people thought they were just stories, mere legends to be passed down the generations, but this… this was the most heart-wrenching, painful moment of my entire life. I felt my heart stop beating for a moment, as if even it didn't want to continue. I started seeing spots, and my head feel into my hands as it pounded heavily. I thought I would pass out, but at that moment, Kanda entered my vision. My head shot up as he reached down and grabbed An's wrist before pulling her to her feet. I couldn't see his face, but his voice was venom. "If you speak like that one more time to Lenalee, you'll be the next 'story'. Nobody will ever believe you existed. You will be only legend… one that will bore the future generations!" An was thrown to the side and she slide as she made contact with the floor. The air was completely still with tension, almost complete void of breath. Every eye was on Kanda and An. An slowly lifted herself up, holding up the top half of her body with her arms. She faced Kanda, a look of terror and confusion on her face. Kanda huffed. "How do you like the sound of that?"

"Wha… what?" An cried as she shakily moved her hair out of her face.

"Che," Kanda glared at her. "How would you feel if you were referred to as a 'story'? How would you feel if your whole life, all of your efforts and passions that you put forward, were called 'fake'? Even 'legend' is not a worthy title for how much he helped us," Kanda turned, acknowledging everyone around him with a glare. "Do none of you realize that multiple people have seen him? Not just in the Order, but outside of it as well. There are people out there that we have never met, that have met him before he was an exorcist," Kanda crossed him arms. "I fucking hate that Beansprout for leaving, but I'm so tired of people saying that they are 'just stories', because they're not!"

"Y..Yu," Lavi muttered beside me. I looked back to him to see his eyes wide and filled with tears. He jumped from his seat, a large smile stretching across his face. "You're absolutely right! Allen is real, he was my best friend!"

Miranda stood up. "He was the one who found me and my innocence!"

"Me as well!" Krory cried as he stood next to Miranda.

Link stood up at that moment, a look of disapproval upon his face. "Legends… is that what you think I've been after for the past nine years? I was ordered by _Central _to locate Allen Walker, but before that… even I had considered him a friend,"

My heart beat was racing as a large smile appeared on my face. I wanted to add something, to show my admiration for Allen. I stood up from my seat, drawing every ounce of attention from the room instantly. I soon lost my nerve, causing a blush to appear on my face. "I," I muttered, looking towards the floor as I tried to regain my back bone. I took a deep breath before I turned to look An in the eye. "We… He was one of the closest people to me, An. I…"

"Here…" everyone turned to see my brother kneeling next to An. In his hand he held a key, which he presented to An with a warm smile on his face. Without questioning, she accepted said key with shaking hands. Komui patted her head gently. "You don't have to trust the words of your comrades…" An looked heartbroken as she gripped the key tightly in her hands. It was then that I realized that she didn't mean her words. She was only frustrated, and was driven too far into her frustration that she spoke without realizing. Komui's smile seemed to become firmer as he continued. "I understand if you would like real evidence. This is the key to room 00X… I'm sure you know what room it is. You can find your answer there, if you wish,"

"But-!" An cried as she reached out to Komui. "But… why me? Why not the first person to doubt…?"

"Why?" Komui asked, his face showing nothing but simple cluelessness. "Because it seems that you have forgotten why you are here,"

I could tell that An was not satisfied that that answer. Frankly, I wasn't either. I couldn't understand what he meant by such words, but I felt that I wouldn't get an answer. An looked down at here hand which gripped the key firmly. With a split-second heartbreaking glance to me, she ran out of the cafeteria, leaving everyone to wonder silently.

_**/O\**_

I walked in front of father as we exited the stairway. Looking forward, I saw Reynaldo and Tyki, standing awkwardly next to each other. I had found out that Reynaldo had only just met Tyki, so they didn't exactly trust each other yet. But both stated that a friend to my father was a friend to them. I smiled at them and ran forward, drawing their attention to me as I did so. "Hello!" I cried as I stopped before them. Reynaldo smiled at me while Tyki looked behind me to find my father.

I turned to see father straightening his uniform as he walked up to us. "Hello, sorry to keep you waiting," he said with his usual smile. "I guess we would like to get down to business?"

"Yes," Tyki stated with a nod. "I believe that I'll meet you there," he said with a smirk as he began to walk off. After a few steps, he fell straight threw the floor, causing me to jump and squeal in shock. Father chuckled at me. "Don't worry, Alicia. That's pretty normal for him," He said as he motioned behind him. I nodded as Reynaldo and I followed him to the back of the hotel, where I noticed an odd door that said 'Elevator' above it. I blinked at it before looking at father.

"An elevator?" I asked, my response being a kind nod. I became worried. "I've… never been on an elevator before…"

Father chuckled at my words as he pat my head. "Don't worry, it's a gentle ride… unlike the original elevator to Hevlaska," he said as the doors opened and we stepped in. I couldn't help but wonder what he meant by such a statement. As father pressed a button on the wall, I jumped at the sudden downward motion. After a few quick breaths, I became used to the strange motion and calmed down.

It was a quiet ride to… wherever we were going. I was quite comfortable leaning into father's side, and Reynaldo being there was quite comforting as well. A small smile appeared on my face. I was completely excited to be with Father once again, and this time I would go wherever he did. My smile turned into a smirk as I realized that it was the perfect time for questioning. There was no way they could get out of it here. Of course, I knew that they wouldn't try to run away, but, being that I was just reunited to them yesterday, I was just too anxious. With a deep breath, I tugged on father's sleeve to gain his attention. He looked down at me curiously. "Father," I began as sweetly as possible. "Why can Mr. Tyki go through the floor?"

Father blinked at me as if he didn't understand the question. When he finally understood a light chuckle escaped from his lips. "It's part of his powers… it's his ability. He can choose whether to touch something or not,"

"Yes, and that's because…" I had my hunch, but I wanted him to say it. I wanted to understand what was happening. It just seemed too out of place. He didn't seem to have innocence, and that Akuma from yesterday…

Father frowned at me, which caught me off guard. "Well… it's very complicated, Ally-girl,"

I nodded my head slowly. Father smiled lightly, probably thinking that the conversation was over. Before he could look away from my face, I spoke once again. "So, you _are_ a traitor to the Black Order,"

"Alicia!" Reynaldo cried in shock as Father's eyes became wide. Reynaldo leaned down to my level, his anxiousness revealing on his face and he placed his hand lightly on my shoulder. "You shouldn't say that. You don't understand-"

"Understand what? What else is there to say?" I looked to Reynaldo with a harsh stare. He became silent, unsure of how to react. After he stood up in what I determined to be his defeat, I turned back to father, holding my stare. He seemed to be awestruck, completely taken off guard by my words. After a few more seconds, my eyes softened. "If you don't fill in the holes, people fill them in for you. If you want me to understand, you have to tell me,"

Father stared at me for a moment before the astonishment slowly left his face. His eyes seemed hurt as he shook his head at me. "That… was a cruel way to teach a lesson, Alicia," He muttered as he rubbed his forehead. He slowly smiled down at me. "Okay," he answered as he kneeled before me. "Mr. Tyki Mikk is a Noah," So my hunch was true. What little I knew about the Noah raced into my mind. I remembered that I had learned something that father may not have known, about the Noah who had a daughter. I opened my mouth to speak of it, but father cut me off. "Yes, a Noah: A disciple of the Millennium Earl, and enemy to human kind. But he's not on their side,"

I thought about the statement he had just made. It wasn't what I was going to speak about, being that I heard the Akuma from yesterday call Tyki a traitor, but it was something I found relieving to hear. "So… he's on our side?" it was a simple question that had much truth. Father smiled at me as he nodded. Before I could smile back, something began to bother me. Something that I really wanted to know. "But… what side are _we_ on?"

He blinked at me for a moment. I could tell that he wasn't expecting such a question, but at least I didn't freak him out like before. I knew it may take a while to acquire all that I wanted, especially if the questions I asked were difficult for him to ask. I didn't expect the answer to come swiftly, so I waited patiently for father to answer. What slowly appeared on his face was a sad smile. "Well… we're on the side for humanity and peace. We share many similarities with the Order, but we cannot call ourselves part of it. We work underground, aiding our comrades in secrecy, for the greater good, and for the victory of the innocence,"

Father's words moved me. A smile appeared on my face as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear," I whispered just as he held me back. I pulled away from him, giving him a wide smile. "Is that why everyone at the Order speaks so fondly about you?"

Father looked to me curiously, the awestruck expression reappearing on his face. "They… they do?"

I slowly nodded my head. "You were entwined with almost every conversation… Some people don't think as kindly, but the people I liked seemed to care about you,"

I couldn't quite understand the look upon my father's face. He seemed both happy and troubled at the same time. Behind me I heard Reynaldo huff, which drew away my father's attention. Reynaldo had what almost seemed to be a smirk on his face. "Yeah, and tell your father what you did before you left yesterday,"

Father blinked at Reynaldo before turning to me curiously. At first I didn't understand, but when I did a smile appeared on my face as mischief filled my mind. I giggled. "I invited Ms. Lenalee to come visit us!" I cried happily. Father's face turned blood red as he gapped at me. I smiled sweetly to him. "She was the sweetest lady I've ever met! I loved her so much… I just knew I would have to see her again!"

Father blinked at me, his face remaining red. He cleared his throat. "You… you loved her?"

I took a moment to take in his composer. His red face, his nervous voice… I slowly nodded my head. "Yes, sir. I love Ms. Lenalee,"

The smile that appeared on my father's face made my heart beat faster. He placed his hand gently on my head. "You are your father's daughter," he said to me with an amazing smile. His words thrilled me, almost driving me insane with happiness. '_Father… loved Ms. Lenalee!_' I thought as I wrapped my arms around him tightly. Father wrapped his arms around my tiny form around me, holding me just as tightly as I held him. The elevator dinged, and Father smiled at me before he walked out as the doors opened.

"Ah, there you are," I heard Tyki's voice across the way. I followed father forward, but stopped short as I saw a glowing mass of light. A large creature with a feminine face was seen next to Tyki's form. It seemed to be coming from below the balcony that Tyki was leaning against. I was completely awestruck by the creature that I barely noticed Tyki speaking. "I've already explained the situation to Hevlaska. She says she will gladly read Alicia's innocence sync,"

"This is…?" I muttered as I continued to awe the giant form. Reynaldo nodded as he put a hand on my back and lead me forward. As I reached the edge of the Balcony, I gave a small curtsy, "How do you do, Ms. Hevlaska?" I muttered uneasily. Hevlaska seemed to laugh.

"Hello, young exorcist," she called down to me. I felt my face grow warm at that moment. She called me an exorcist… I looked back up to her with a small smile. My eyes drifted downwards, seeing that below her was a large white area. Curiosity tugged my mind, and I pointed to the area below us.

"What's that?" I called my curiosity. Tyki looked down nonchalantly.

"That's the Ark Portal that Hevlaska can use to travel place here. It's a special one that goes directly from Hevlaska's original spot to here,"

"The Ark Portal…" I muttered absentmindedly. This is what everyone spoke of. A portal that could be used to travel distances. Ms. Hevlaska used it travel here… "Where is she normally?" I asked as I looked back up to Hevlaska. Father stood next to me and leaned on the railing.

"She's normally in the Black Order," he stated simply. He looked up to Hevlaska with a smile. "Hello, Hevlaska. It's been a long time,"

"Indeed it has, Destroyer of Time," My head shot to father immediately as confusion washed over my features. Father held a crooked smile on his face, though his eyes seemed distant at the moment. He gave a short nod in her direction. Hevlaska seemed to smile. "You have finally brought the child to me,"

Father nodded his head once again. "Yes, I have. So please, Hevlaska, can you check Alicia's innocence for us?"

"Of course," she stated simply. Suddenly, many hands started to reach out to me. I gasped as they took hold of me and lifted me into the air. I fidgeted in the hands, feeling uncomfortable in their grasps, but Hevlaska cooed to me. "Do not fright, young one. I am an exorcist just like you. I can read your synchronization rating with your innocence through touch. So please, do not struggle," I nodded to Hevlaska as her forehead touched mine. A small light appeared from my chest as she did so. She began to mutter. "19… 27… 35… 46… 52… 64… 73%. Your synchronization rate with your innocence is 73%"

I blinked at Hevlaska before I looked down at the three men below me. "Is that good?" I asked as Hevlaska slowly lowered me to the ground. I looked to my father as I stood on my feet once again. He had his arms crossed, and a puzzlingly look was on his face.

"Well…" he muttered as he pondered. "I guess, being that you haven't known of it, I'd say it's decent,"

I frowned at my father's words. "Well, what was your first synchronization rating?"

Father smiled at me. "83%"

I glared up to him. "That's only a 10% difference! Besides, how old were you then?"

A blush appeared on father's face at my statement. "Uh, well… it's not a competition!" he said as he waved his hands in front of him. We laughed at that moment. It was truly funny to see father flustered like that. Tyki was the first to recover from laughter. He stepped forward before he spoke.

"Now that this is settled, I must ask what you intend to do, Allen," Father looked to Tyki once again. His face showed understanding, though he looked troubled.

"There are many options," Father admitted as he began to scratch the back of his head. "My personal choice is to have her travel with me…"

"Yes…" Tyki muttered, bringing his hand to his chin thoughtfully. "Neah mentioned… you've plan to have her join us from the start, with or without innocence?" I blinked after hearing Tyki's words. Neah… mentioned something? I was almost sure that Timothy said that Neah was inside of father… so how could Tyki have spoken to him? Father grimaced, but nodded in response to Tyki's statement. Tyki gave a small sigh. "It is dangerous, being that you both are so high on the Earl's hit list. But, there is no way to argue with you, brother,"

"Brother?" The word used caused me to forget the issue in front of me. I couldn't help but smile at Tyki, who immediately tensed as he made eye contact with me.

"Yes…" He muttered towards me. He seemed uncomfortable with the excited look upon my face. "I have long thought of Allen as my brother…"

"So that means… you're Uncle Tyki!" I cried with a large smile on my face. Tyki gasped as I ran towards him, expecting to give him a hug. He dodged slightly, but part of my right arm hit him, though it went straight through him. I lost my balance and nearly fell over with a jolt of surprise.

Tyki huffed in my direction. "Damn Allen and his father-like qualities," he muttered as he walked away from me. I blinked at him curiously, slightly wondering if he knew the truth. He spoke to father as he passed him. "I expect us to move fully in a week's time. Take this time to prepare,"

Father smiled. "Thanks, Tyki," He called before Tyki walked straight through a wall.

"Ah, I almost forgot," I heard Reynaldo cry as he reached into his pocket. He walked to the edge of the balcony and pulled out a small shining object and raised it up to Hevlaska. "Since I found this so close by, I figured I should give it to you," Reynaldo looked over to Allen in slight hesitation. "If it's okay with you…"

"Sure," Father said with a shrug. "Timcanpy is holding plenty of innocence-"

"Innocence?" I nearly shrieked. "That's innocence?"

"Yes," Hevlaska called, her long hands reaching down and accepting the strange object from Reynaldo's grasp. "This is innocence in its most basic form. This is before it is either forged into a weapon, or accepted into a body. We hope to have house this innocence safely, so that it will be safely awaiting it's future accommodator," I stared upon the strange glowing object. That was innocence, the strange substance that was used as a weapon against Akuma. My hand went to my chest. It was inside of me. I had no clue what it looked like or what shape it took. All I knew was that I was trusted with it. I was an accommodator. I was an exorcist.

_**/O\**_

An stood solemnly in the hall, staring cautiously at the door that was referred to as door 00X. She gripped the key in her hand and moved it closer to her chest. She felt a slight draft tickle her face as she stared at the keyhole of the door. Long had she wondered… what was behind this door? It almost seemed too good to be true for Komui to just hand her the key, to finally fulfill her curiosity. She held the key forward but hesitated. Yes, too good to be true. Was it really so easy? No, it couldn't have been. She would put that key into the hole and it wouldn't open. An leaned forward, resting her head against the door. She stayed in that position for a while, just wondering of the possibilities.

'…_.you have forgotten why you are here…'_ Komui's words repeated inside her head a million times. This was a test. He knew this would happen. He knew that she wouldn't be able to open the door, even if it was the real key. He knew that she would realize the more important aspects, that she was being a selfish brat, and should learn from it.

An turned her back on the door, leaning back to rest her head on it. What would she learn from this? Don't doubt your elders? Hold your tongue? An sighed. She could learn so much, and she felt she already had. She knew she had hurt Lenalee deeply, and even if the stories were fake, it was wrong of her to speak so rudely. She acted as if she was a child, and she was not as such. But Komui's words continued to run through her mind.

What did he mean? She knew why she was here. She was an accommodator. She could use innocence to kill Akuma. What more could there be to it? She was there to save human kind.

She was also there so that her grandmother could have medical treatment. It was the only reason she didn't fight off the men that found her. The strange thing was… they knew exactly what to say. It was as if they knew. But then again, only one man spoke to her. An could remember the man plainly. He was tall, dark, and handsome, and a complete flirt at the most part. He didn't start speaking to her about innocence until his friend elbowed his side. It was quite entertaining to say the least, though An wasn't exactly cooperative with them. Once they said the Order would take care of her family, she decided to join.

An's eyebrows folded together at that moment. She thought back on the man with the black hood who accompanied the man that spoke to her. He did speak one sentence to her. "You can protect your family, along with many other families all across the world,"

A small smile appeared on An's face. Yes, she remembered. She came to protect her family. But now she realized something. It did not mean just her immediate family back in China. "Yes…" An stated with a wide smile. "I want to protect my family. The one back home, and the one right here at the Order,"

An took a step forward, feeling refreshed as she finally felt that she was at home, but stopped short. She eyed the door behind her curiously before looking at the key in her hand. Yes, she had learned her lesson, but her curiosity never ceased. She slowly placed the key in the keyhole and turned it. Her eyes grew wide at the sound of a click originating from the door. She turned the door knob and pushed it gently, finding the door easily slipped open. She took a step forward, weary of her surroundings. With cautious eyes she scanned the room. On her left she saw a nightstand next to a bed, which was pushed against the wall. Above the bed was a picture of a clown with a coffin on its back. Further down was a small vanity, which seemed mostly for show. There was a desk in front of the window on the opposite end of the room, which was stacked with many papers in messy stacks. She allowed her eyes to scan further, seeing a closed closet door on the back right side of the room. To her immediate right was a smaller bed, basically a cot that was messily made.

An slowly walked it, closing the door carefully behind her. She slowly made her way to the bed on the left, sitting down on it in her shock. "It… was the real key…" She muttered absentmindedly. She blinked harshly before looking down at the bed she sat on. She slowly ran her hand across the soft blanket that laid across the bed. She looked to the vanity that was next to the bed and reached out to turn on a lamp that sat there. She moved to stand in front of the vanity, looking at the picture frames that were laid across its top. The first frame was missing a picture, but the other three did not. An reached for the first picture and picked it up to get a better look. Her heart immediately stopped once she laid her eyes on the picture.

It reminded her very much of the party that was held just yesterday for that little girl. Banners were hanging from the ceiling, exclaiming 'Welcome Allen!' it wasn't hard to spot the boy from the stories. He was in the middle of the picture, a look of embarrassment and surprise across his face. He looked to be around fifteen years old in this picture, which seemed too young to be there to the 19 year old exorcist who gazed upon the picture. His hair was long for being boys hair, and so white that someone who didn't know any better would think he was old. An noticed the boys handsome features that seemed to be overshadowed by the dark red scar that ran over left eye. On his forehead she saw clearly a pentacle, the one that the original gatekeeper must have seen in the old stories.

An couldn't believe her eyes. The stories were true. But how true were they? As she stared at the picture, her eyes grew wide once she recognized Komui Lee standing behind Allen in the picture. Komui knew Allen Walker after all… many had wondered if Lenalee's older brother had met the boy from the stories. No one had the courage to ask, though all the stories suggested that they had met. Komui had never intervened in the stories, and An just couldn't understand why. After a moment, her eyes rested on a young Chinese girl with long pigtails, who smiled so brightly that An knew who it had to be. It was sixteen year old Lenalee Lee. She stood next to boy who had to be Allen in the picture, smiling at his embarrassed form. It seemed almost unreal to An to see Lenalee so much younger, as if she was just a child. Guilt began to fill An's heart. She had told Lenalee, to her face, that she believed it was all fake. But then again, it was just one picture.

An's curiosity fueled her as she looked at the next picture. It was that boy with the white hair again, Allen. He sat in the cafeteria next to Lenalee, who's hair was so short it reminded An of the story about the Ark that she had heard many times in the order. An couldn't help but notice how close they sat to each other, and how cute it was that they were looking at each other instead of the camera. For a moment, she began to wonder about Lenalee's feelings, but shook the thought out of her head once guilt began to rise in her again. Looking back at the picture, she saw that around them was everyone who claimed they knew Allen. Lavi, Krory, Jerri, Miranda… even Kanda was in the picture. They all made funny faces, except the scowling Kanda, and seemed to be completely engulfed in laughter. Before An put the picture down, something caught her eyes and she brought it up close to her face. Behind the group of exorcist sat a man who looked very much like Howard Link. He was rolling his eyes in the background, as if he thought it was childish. An slowly smiled at the picture, her heart beating faster and faster with each second that she stared. Seeing everyone like this… Seeing everything unfolding… It was breathtaking! An felt as if she was glancing into a forbidden past. With excitement filling in her, she reached for the next picture, only to be frozen in complete and utter shock.

It was a picture of Allen Walker sitting at a piano, seeming to be playing it. Next to him was a beautiful Spaniard girl who seemed to be singing. This picture was from a specific story that she had heard, about Allen Walker's final mission before he left. That in itself was shocking, and it was shocking to think that the stories about the boy who could control the Ark with a piano was true, but that wasn't what bothered An about the picture. It was the man who leaned against the piano, an approving smile upon his lips as he stared fondly at the two sitting in front of the piano. It was the man who had spoken to her about her innocence. "You…" An muttered as she walked trancelike back to the bed and sat on it. "Why… why is there a picture of you here?" she muttered as she stared at the picture she held. It was definitely him. It was the man who actually got her to come to the Black Order. An's eyes became wide at that thought. "This is what Komui meant, isn't it?" she cried. Was Komui was trying to point out that _he_ was the reason why she was here… but something didn't feel right about that. No, it couldn't be what it meant… but what did it mean?

An stared at the picture for a while. On instinct more than necessity, she reached for the lamp that rested on the nightstand and turned it on. Once the light appeared, she noticed the glare on another picture frame that sat on the nightstand. She carefully placed her picture on the bed and reached for the one on the nightstand. Upon inspection, she found it to be a picture of Allen and Lenalee. They seemed to have just got out of the rain, because their overcoats seemed to be wet and parts of Lenalee's hair were soaked. Allen has his arms around Lenalee's waist, and he stared at it in such a cute and loving way that it almost embarrassed An to see it. Lenalee smiled up to Allen, returning the loving glance back to him. An frowned at the picture as tears welled in her eyes. "Lenalee…" She muttered, her voice heartbroken as she held the picture close to her. "You… you loved him… I'm so inconsiderate!" An cried as she returned her glance back to the picture. As she stared at Allen, with his dark hood barely revealing his face, her eyes grew wider than ever before.

Back in the cafeteria, Collin said that he was met by a man in white. It lead to Lenalee's curiosity, which An knew was due to the stories of the form of the flowing white cape that Allen's innocence had taken. An thought it was ridiculous, which lead to her outbreak… Then Komui claimed that she had forgotten why she was here. It was connected, wasn't it? Why else would An see the picture of the man that had spoken to her? Why else would the picture of Allen that she held in her hand… remind her so much of the man in the black hood that also found her?

Understanding washed over her as she looked at the picture that she held. "Allen Walker is the reason… he's the reason I'm here. He's the reason I'm protecting my family... Komui was right," She slowly nodded as she went to place the picture back in its original spot. "Allen Walker found me… He found Collin, too. And he brought us here, to the Black Order, to our new family," Before she put the picture down, a white envelope and a small black box caught her attention. An placed the picture back where she found it, realizing that it was hiding that envelope and box behind it very well. She picked up said envelope and box and gazed upon it in wonder. The envelope said 'To Lenalee' on the back.

An knew she shouldn't open it, that she should have probably gave it to Lenalee after she read those two simple words, but it didn't stop her from opening the envelope. As the sound of ripping paper filled her ears, a flash of gold flew in front of her face. She gasped as she stood from the bed and ran to the ajar door to stare outside. Towards the windows that lined the top of the hallway, An saw the flash of gold again. It was an angelic-looking creature of gold, with angle like wings that contradicted the small horns on his head. It had a long tail that ended with something that resembled a spiral. An gasped at the creature as she recognized it to be the golem from the pictures, except slightly larger than alleged. The small creature turned to see An staring upon it and seemed to jolt with shock. It looked around frantically before flying out an ajar window, into the open sky. An looked to the envelope in her grasp and back to the window the creature flew out of.

An knew something much more meaningful than her small crisis was unfolding. She stared at the half opened envelope in her hand. With a frustrated sigh, she walked back into room 00X and closed the door.

_**/O\**_

_Allen knew that Cilicia's words were a lie, but he smiled nonetheless. He stood up from his spot and walked over to Lenalee, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I think Cilicia is tired. You should go find Lavi. I'll watch her a little longer until she falls asleep, and then I'll join you,"_

_Lenalee nodded. As she stood up, she placed a small kiss upon Allen's lips. "Thank you," she whispered before she made her way to the door. _

_At the sound of the door closing, Cilicia brought her hands to her face and sobbed quietly into her palms. Timcanpy looked up to her, his wings twitching in anticipation and worry. Allen crawled into bed next to her, wrapping his arms around her small frame and holding her close to him. He allowed her to cry into his chest for a moment as he silently stroked her hair in a calming manor. Cilicia's sobs finally began to quiet, and Allen whispered into her ear. "What's wrong, Cilicia?" Allen cooed as he continued to run his fingers through her hair. Slowly, Cilicia turned her head and looked Allen in the eye._

"_I… I can't tell you," Cilicia cried as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hid her face in his chest. "I just… can't,"_

"_Yes you can, stubborn," Allen chuckled as he lifted her chin so that he could look her in the eye. "We have no secrets, remember?"_

_Cilicia nodded slowly at Allen's statement. She gazed into Allen's silver eyes for a moment before she leaned forward to place a kiss upon his lips. Allen placed his hand on her cheek, deepening the kiss just enough to hear a moan escape Cilicia's lips. She pulled away, her face flushed from the kiss she shared with him. She placed her hand upon Allen's cheek, tracing the deep red scar that lined his face. With a deep breath, Cilicia shook her head. "How can I tell you after such a beautiful moment?" _

_Allen tilted his head with curiosity. A small look of worry appeared on his face. "Cilicia, why are you so upset?_

"_What?" Cilicia cried as she shot into a sitting position. "You don't know why I'm upset? Allen, think about it!" tears began to form in Cilicia's eyes again. "You and Lenalee… you two look so perfect together. And when I look at you two, I see the beginning of a beautiful bond. And now that Lenalee is pregnant," Cilicia shook her head and grabbed her hair. "I see the most beautiful, perfect family. I just… I just can't believe that I'm ruining that for you!"_

_Allen sat up and grabbed Cilicia's wrist. "How are you ruining it? Cilicia, I care about you so much-"_

"_I'm making you cheat on your girlfriend!" Cilicia cried out, catching Allen off guard. "Can't you see that? I'm so selfish; I tell you to stay with Lenalee, but then I'm all over you as if you belong to me…! And just then, when I saw you with Lenalee, who will be the mother of your child… and I realized…" Cilicia shakily pulled her hands down to her stomach, tears flowing from her eyes like an uncontrollable river. She looked up to Allen, pain and regret revealed in her eyes. "Just like I ruined your perfect relationship, I'm going to ruin your perfect family, too,"_

"_Y…you're pregnant, too?" Allen asked breathlessly, staring upon Cilicia's hands in surprise. Slowly she nodded._

"_I… I just missed my… I'm so sorry!" She cried as held her face in her hands. _

_Allen blinked at Cilicia's heartbreaking form. He finally sighed as he continued to play with Cilicia's hair. Allen's smile was soft as he stared at the woman in front of him. "So that's what it is, huh?" Allen leaned back, laying his head on his left arm as he looked up the ceiling. "I… I figured that would be the case after I saw you crying. I know you love Lenalee, and would actually be happy finding out about her pregnancy… So I thought, 'maybe Cilicia's pregnant too?'" Allen turned his head to look Cilicia in the eye. Her tears had stopped falling as she looked to Allen curiously, wondering where he would be going with such strange words. Allen looked at Cilicia as if he was looking at her for the first time. A nineteen year-old girl with long, dark hair and dark blue eyes. Her skin was tan, her frame was tiny, and her giant heart made Allen feel small and insignificant. Allen smiled at Cilicia as tears filled his own eyes. He sat up and pulled Cilicia close to him, holding her in his arms as if he just couldn't let her go. "Cilicia…" Allen breathed as he thought of just the right way to phrase what he was thinking. "I-" Allen's eyes became wide as a pulse surged through his body. He grabbed Cilicia's shoulders and threw her off the bed. "Get dow-"_

_A large explosion pushed Allen directly on the piano. He coughed as he held his stomach, almost sure that he would throw up from the pain. Allen quickly pulled himself together, his eye reacting to the Akuma that caused the explosion. Looking to the ground, he noticed with great relief that Cilicia had already moved from that spot. His eyes darted back up to the hole in the wall, where a lone Level 1 Akuma silhouette was seen. Before Allen could move, he heard a small laugh that made his whole body freeze. Allen looked to the top of the Akuma, where the silhouette of a spikey haired Noah was seen. "Oh! Looky here! It's Allen~!" the dust cleared, and Allen could plainly see Road Kamelot standing on the Level 1 Akuma with Lero in her hands. She threw her hand in the air and waved. "Hey, Allen! I've missed you soooooo much!" Road smile sadistically as a level 2 and Level 4 appeared behind her. "But you know, I've heard from Sniffer, this Level two here," She motioned to the Akuma by her side. "He has informed me that he smells something quite peculiar in this room. It was the smell of a fetus," Allen's glare hardened at Road's words. Road noticed such an expression, and her face revealed thoughtfulness. "So it's true?" She gave a light sigh before a sinister smile appeared on her face. "In that case, I may even miss you more… When you're dead!"_

"_Innocence!" Allen cried as he grabbed his wrist. "Activate!" _

**Success! It's finally out there!**

**I must say… what's in the boooooooooooox? ;D **

**So, did you already guess it? XD I thought Allen's situation was too obvious, but I'm sure I shocked some of you. How did this work out for Allen? You know the outcome, but you have no idea how they got to it.**

**Cilicia and Reynaldo are both in second with one vote. Alicia is way in the lead (And she thanks each and every one of you from the bottom of her heart). **

**If you didn't notice, there is an opening in here that suggests further explanation. If you wanna read more about Lenalee's discovery of Kanda (And my version of the Alma incident according to this story) then you should know that I plan on putting up a separate one-shot for that. The more that it is asked for, the faster I'll start working on it! (I stress the 'One Shot' for a reason) ;)**

**Anyway, Reviews are worshipped beyond belief. Critics are welcomed, and I love hearing your ideas!**


	15. Chapter 15

**12,549 words! **

**I was sooo sad when my usual's didn't review :'( why you guys no review?**

**Anyway, for the readers out there who still love me (Diavo, Raychaell Dionzeros, Kaite 1211, Marinne Karneval, and TykkiMikk) I dedicate this chapter to you!**

**Happy readings!**

_Allen panted as he pulled his sword out of the corpse of the level 4. Lavi was next to him, leaning against his hammer as sweat beaded down his neck. "Where'd that Level 2 run off?" he asked as he threw his hammer over his shoulder and stepped over the ruble. Allen growled, completely livid over the Akuma that had a high sense of smell getting away. Road made it very clear before she left; She would kill his child, and then she would kill him. She left, leaving the Akuma to fight him, then Lavi showed up; finishing off the Level one and attempting to kill the fleeing level 2 while Allen fought off the Level 4. It was a bloody battle, and the house was not spared. Lavi soon began to chuckle, taking Allen away from his deep thoughts. "Lord Pena is gonna be so pissed once he sees this. Maybe he'll just give Cilicia to us if it costs him enough money,"_

_Allen looked down at Edge End after he put up his sword. A sigh escaped his lips. "If money was an issue to him, he would have sold Cilicia's soul to that Noah so that he wouldn't have to pay for the 'Medication',"_

_Lavi nodded as he propped his leg up on a piece of ruble and looked outside. He could see most of the town from where he was at, and the sun was beginning to set over the tops of the buildings. "True there. Why is he even keeping her here? He doesn't seem to care about her at all,"_

_Allen chuckled as he walked next to Lavi. "I just thought Reynaldo threatened him. Something like… 'I'm your only son, and if you want me to carry on the family name, you better take care of Cilicia!'" _

_Lavi chuckled as his hammer converted into a small form. He slipped it on his belt and turned around to face Allen. "I'm gonna go find Reynaldo and tell him what's up. You think he's in the shelter with Cilicia and Lenalee?"_

"_I wouldn't doubt it," Allen called as he scanned his surroundings for Akuma. Lavi nodded his way before leaving him Alone._

_Allen sighed after he scanned the area. He had not seen anything. It was all clear. But what bothered him was Road. She could still be close by and he wouldn't even know it. Which meant that Cilicia was still in danger._

_Allen looked down at the ruble for a moment. No, Cilicia was in a different type of danger now. Not just the danger from before, where they expected innocence to be involved, but now because she was carrying a child. Allen's eyes became wide for a moment. 'Cilicia isn't the only one. Lenalee is also… expecting,'_

_Realization dawned on Allen at that moment. He had two women who expected children. Which one would Road be after? She would be after both if she knew. He had to protect them. But how was he to be made sure that both were completely protected? Allen knew something very important; Lenalee could not find out about Cilicia. If she were to find out that he was the father of Cilicia's child, not a single good thing would come out of it. Allen groaned as he grabbed his hair in frustration. It was too much information for him to process…_

"_Allen?" Allen looked up to see a small frame peeking out from the trashed doorway. Allen squinted his eyes, trying to see the person behind the voice. The girl hid behind the wall, peeking half of her face to look at Allen. Upon seeing the long hair that flowed down her side, and the golden golem peeking from her shoulder, Allen knew it had to be Cilicia's small frame peeking behind the barely manageable door. Allen tried smiled at her, to hopefully disregard any unpleasant images she may have seen, but she did not move, and most of her face remained hidden. "I… I know what you're thinking," She stated as her eyes left Allen, looking blanking towards the rubble that lay across the ground. Allen couldn't see her face, but her voice sounded pained and horse, as if she has been crying. "You can just forget about me… father has found out about me not taking the medication," Allen's eyes became wide in horror. A small sadistic giggle reached his ears. "It was obvious when I ran into the foyer screaming at the top of my lungs. That's what I get for… being me," _

"_Cilicia…"Allen murmured. Never before had she spoken in such a negative way. Cilicia's head seemed to lower, as if she already heard Allen's surprise and disappointment. _

_Cilicia shook her head. Her voice began to waver. "I've taken the full blame, so you won't be punished, but…" Allen noticed Cilicia's hand reach for her stomach, and Allen instantly paled as understanding came over him. _

"_The deadly pathogens…" Allen was barely able to whisper. Allen was unable to move. It was a horrid thing to think; the loss of an unborn child. His child. A glare appeared on his face. "I won't allow it," He muttered just above a whisper. Cilicia looked back to him, a small hint of confusion on her barely visible features. Allen took a step forward. "I won't allow it!"_

_Cilicia gasped as she looked to Allen. With a smile on her lips she ran into Allen's arms that instant. She crashed into his arms, nearly knocking him down with her. He held her steady, wrapping his arms around her trembling form. She was not trembling from fear or sadness, but trembling with excitement and the happiness that flowed through her that moment. Timcanpy flew above their heads, watching like a small guardian angel as Cilicia placed a small kiss on Allen's lips. Allen sighed with content after a moment, running his hands through her hair. He would not allow anything to happen to her. He would not allow anyone to kill their baby. Cilicia giggled and pulled herself from Allen's arms. "I-I have an idea, if you don't mind…" _

"_An Idea for what?" Allen asked as he brushed a messy strand of hair from her face. Cilicia held a pout, but it was more troubled than usual. _

"_I believe I have thought of a way to keep the baby, but for no one to think that you're the father," Allen raised an eyebrow down at Cilicia, who gradually smiled warmly. "I'm going to sneak out tomorrow. I'm going to hide in a place only you will know, but when you look there you will pretend you didn't see me. When night time comes, I'll return… I won't tell anyone anything. I'll be completely silent. Later, when everyone finds out I'm pregnant; the first thing they're going to think is that I've been… violated,"_

_Allen gasped and took a step back. "W-what? No, that's horrifying! I'd rather take the blame!"_

_Cilicia reached forward and grabbed Allen's hand. "But you'll be off the hook, Allen! And if you decide to leave, to be with Lenalee, then nobody can say you're abandoning me and the child…" _

_Allen was about to interject, but the look on Cilicia's face caused him to freeze. She would fight him to the end. She would not give in, and Allen knew it was because of her last sentence. She would do anything for him. If he decided to stay with Cilicia, she would be pleased, but she was only happy as long as he was happy. Cilicia was well aware that he would never forgive her if she killed the baby, but she would gladly do so if it was his wish. Allen wondered what the feeling rising in him was. What was that strange emotion, that unreeling feeling, which refused to say no to this girl? Though Allen wished with all his strength to refuse, he stiffly nodded his head._

_**/O\**_

A loud giggle escaped my lips as I entered the lobby of the hotel. Its walls welcomed me warmly, and I was grateful to see them; it had been the most familiar scene I had witnessed in the past few days, something that I always returned to. But that would change today. I turned around excitedly, smiling at my father with my hands behind my back as he threw a light weight travel bag over his shoulder. He had changed out of his exorcist uniform, which I smugly noticed was definitely a general uniform, back into his usual white shirt and grey vest. It was slightly strange to think that father was one of the highest ranks an exorcist could be before, but was now wanted by the Black Order. I still hadn't asked why he was wanted, but I figured that was one of the questions I would ask later on. I had more important questions to ask, and I would ask them today. He smiled back at me, and I could see the overlaying happiness that filled his eyes. I had wondered at first how he felt when I first returned to him, but now I knew that he felt the same why I did. What happened around us didn't matter, we we're a family again.

I giggled as I ran ahead of him, drawing the eye of the receptionist I had met the day before. She turned to me with a slightly uplifted eyebrow, gazing upon my tiny form as I smiled and ran up to the counter. Once she saw me approach, an almost forced smile appeared on her quivering lips. "Well hello there, Ms. Walker," A light blush appeared on my face as I grabbed ahold of the ledge of the counter, trying my best to boost myself up so I could see her. Her tone was slightly monotone, but the use of my last name was slightly embarrassing to me, with or without emotion. Father came up behind me, completely stealing away the woman's eyes from me. I felt a hint of jealousy. If there was one person in the world who would attract more attention than me, it would have to be my father. I was sure it wasn't because of the scar on his face or the color of his hair, but at the same time I just couldn't tell you what drew people to him. I knew women found him to be good looking, but I wasn't sure that it was the only reason. "Good afternoon, Mr. Walker!" I raised an eyebrow at the formal tone she used with my father. It wasn't like they were old friends, were they? I saw her cheeks turn a like shade of pink as her smile grew wider and more natural on her face. I looked up to father curiously, wondering about his viewpoints about the receptionist's actions.

Before I could even try to read him, he scooped his arms below me and pulled me into his arms. I blushed as he sat me on the counter, a small mischievous smile on his face. All I could do was smile at him as he addressed the lady behind me. "Good afternoon, Arlene. I'm sorry to say that we're checking out,"

A look of pure devastation appeared on Arlene's face. I could tell she wanted to protest, but she bit her lip as she reached for her papers. "I'm sorry to hear that… do you know the next time you will be staying with us?" Her voice turned hopeful and I nearly giggled. Though it was strange to see a woman potentially flirt with my father, I couldn't help but think it was cute. But on the other hand, I had found out something fairly interesting about her by just watching her small actions. When Reynaldo introduced me to her properly earlier that morning, she didn't seem too pleased to speak to me. She seemed to have disregarded me, and barely paid any attention to me. I did shock her when I spoke to Reynaldo, saying that I didn't want to wake father because I found it to be rude to intrude upon him as he slept. Reynaldo said it was because I speak so properly, as if I wasn't a child at all. But after I spoke for a while, she seemed disinterested in me again. She didn't speak to me directly until she put two and two together and found out who my father was. She seemed almost panicked and slightly infuriated. It led me to the conclusion I had at this moment… Arlene doesn't like children.

I wondered to some extent if father knew that. But then again, I knew it didn't matter. How she felt about children wouldn't affect how he treated me, but how he treated her. A smug smile appeared on my face as father delayed his response to check the pigtails on my head, as if he needed them to be perfect. After playing with them for a moment he smiled and turned his attention back to Arlene, speaking to her with slight disinterest while still keeping a polite exterior. "I'm sorry; we plan to be away for some time. I couldn't say the next time we'll be back,"

I nearly burst into laughter as her eyes grew wide. I was pretty sure the only word she heard was 'we'. I smiled wildly at that moment. "I'm sure you'll see us again, Ms. Arlene," Arlene turned her attention to me, studying me with dazed eyes. I smiled at her sweetly before I slid off the counter and grabbed father's hand. He smiled down at me before he looked back to the receptionist.

"Goodbye, Arlene," He called behind him, and we sought the exit to the building. As we exited the hotel, I skipped ahead of him, a wide grin crawling across my face. I turned back to father as I moved my hands behind my back, patiently watching him adjust hit travel bag. A small giggle escaped my lips.

"So," I mumbled as I shifted my weight to one foot. Father looked to me curiously. "Where to?"

"Well, not too far today," Father said as he began to walk towards me. I turned to follow him as he made his way along the side of a moderately busy road. I stayed close by him, slightly weary of the faces that passed. I knew I wouldn't have to worry too much, being that I could see if the people that passed were Akuma. Now that I think about it, as I looked up to father's calm exterior, he didn't seem to worry too much either. "Our primary goal today is to learn a little more about your innocence. I don't know much about it, and I'd like to know of what you're capable of,"

I smiled up to father at that moment. Right to the point. That was the great thing about my father; he was always willing to help me improve. Sometimes I believed that he thought I was crazy, being that I never played with children my own age and learned at an impeccable speed. But he didn't seem to mind, other than the occasional '_You're growing up too fast!' _He always gave me advice, or helped me with something that I didn't understand. He once told me that he believed that I would do everything he did at least five years faster. With that thought, a smug smile appeared on my face. "So father, I was wondering, how old were you when you first killed an Akuma?"

Father looked at me from the corner of his eyes. His lips were in a thin line on his face, and his eyebrow seemed to be arched slightly. He looked back forward, breaking that small amount of eye contact we had. I grew slightly weary at his change of mood. His lack of smile and the stone-like features made my stomach ache; I nearly grew faint when I believed he would simply ignore me, but at last he spoke "Well, it's a technicality, really. What I mean is, can you call it an Akuma if it hadn't already killed its originator?" I blinked up to father at that moment, confusion written all over my face. He glanced down at me once again, seeing my baffled expression and smiling an acutely at me. "I'm sorry… This is one of the things that I've been afraid of talking about. It's kind of touchy,"

"I'm sorry," I muttered, looking down at my feet as I walked. I couldn't help but feel that his smile was false, that he very much wished to grimace at my words. But his heart was too kind, and he feared of hurting me. Little did he know that his smile hurt me more. All I wanted was the truth. Yet, did I have any right to ask him of these heart-aching questions? I shook my head sternly. "I should have known some things would be hard to talk about. Am I being too selfish?"

"No," I blinked at my father's hasty response. I looked up to him in my bewilderment, my eyes revealing that I didn't understand. He gave me another grin: it was another sad one. "You're not selfish, Ally girl. I've known that you would ask someday, and I've been trying to prepare myself for this. You don't have to feel like your imposing," Was he lying to me to make me feel better, or did he really think I wasn't selfish? No… I figure that it wouldn't be too selfish, being that I had just as much right to know as anyone else close to my father. A conclusion formed in my head; a small resolve that made me smile. On subjects that seemed to distance our connection, I would not push. I would simply let him answer when he was ready. I would tempt him to answer when I could, but I would not force him to tell. I grabbed onto father's hand and squeezed it. I looked into his eyes, hoping that he would see the understanding that I felt. He smiled down to me as he squeeze my hand back, chuckling lightly. I smiled at that moment. His laugh was always a wonderful thing to hear, especially once a situation became tense. By this time I noticed that we were on the outskirts of London. I turned around, waving goodbye to the amazing clock tower that I saw when I first arrived. I thought about all the adventures I had here, most of it taking place in the Black Order.

I also thought about the finder that I met when I first arrived, and the almost cruel words that Reynaldo had said to him. I didn't understand those words. It didn't make sense after spending time with people of the Order. I believed the finder said that I was chosen by God to save the world from ruin…

"Come along, Ally girl. We're almost to a good spot to start," I turned around to see father motioning for me to follow. I ran up to him with a bounce in my step, following him eagerly as we went off the path and towards the trees. It was around this time that Tobi wiggled out of my pocket and flew next to me energetically. I smiled as I held out my hand for Tobi to perch on, but he ignored it and flew around it excitedly. I giggled at his energy.

"You must have really wanted to stretch out your wings! I'm sorry that you've been so cramped up lately," I called as I motioned for him to fly closer so I could plant a kiss on his face (if that's what you call it). I giggled as Tobi returned the gesture by bumping into my forehead. Father looked to Tobi curiously.

"Where did you get that golem?" He asked suddenly, causing both me and Tobi to flinch slightly. I guess both of dreaded of him asking that. This realization made me giggle almost uncontrollably as I realized that father had some questions for me as well. I grabbed Tobi's tail as he tried to fly behind me to hide, a large grin on my face.

"I got him early on in my search for you. He was a regular golem before; you know, emotionless little machines that were mostly for communication," Father nodded at my words calmly, which encouraged me to continue speaking. "After I showed it some compassion, it kind of evolved into this. I call him Tobimaru,"

"He evolved?" Father exclaimed, causing me to blink up to him in surprise.

"Yes…" I muttered wearily, puzzled at fathers amazement. I pulled Tobi into my hands and turn him upside down, causing him to flutter his wings in distraught. "I was going to give him back, but he told me to keep him because my name appeared on him," Father reached forward and took Tobi from my hands, studying the delicate cursive writing that was carved into his form. Father blinked at Tobi before smiling knowingly. He allowed the distraught golem to turn upright on his hand. Tobi stared at father in a curious way as father began to rub the top of Tobi's head.

"The thing about golems… they're kind of like Akuma,"

I stared at father incredulously. "What?" I mumbled as I noticed Tobi's wings stiffen in astonishment at his words. Father chuckled as he noticed such.

"I had always wondered why Timcanpy was different than the other golems, and one day I finally understood. If you ask the science department in the Black Order, No doubt that you've met some of them, they will tell you that Akuma are machines. Once a soul is attached to it, it has the ability to learn and grow… They aren't just machines, though, and I believe the scientists are beginning to understand that. With Akuma, the more they kill the more they evolve. As they evolve, they grow more powerful and more intelligent," Father lifted his hand, allowing Tobi to fly out of it and hover around his head before deciding that he would rather fly around us in little figure eights as we continued walking. Father turned to look at me, a smile still on his face. "Timcanpy was my master's golem… though my master was not one many got along with, I have to admit he was a genius. He took the same development ideals that the Akuma had and used it to create Timcanpy; a growing and very much sentient creature. Except instead of the murder and destruction that the Akuma feed on, Timcanpy could feed on the strong emotions of his master. He doesn't feed off anyone else, and it doesn't affect anything by doing it. It does no harm, so he can use it to grow endlessly,"

I looked up at Tobi as he flew above our heads, stretching his wings and getting his exercise. "So does that mean that the same person who made Timcanpy made Tobi too?" I asked as I watched Tobi do a back flip in the sky.

Father began to chuckle, causing me to turn my gaze back to him. Father shook his head a little. "No, my master disappeared a long time ago. I don't think he could have made Tobi," Father lifted his hand to block Tobi's way, but Tobi ducked under it and continued to fly around us. Father chuckled. "Timcanpy was my master's golem. I met him when… I think I was eleven, and Timcanpy was about as big as his is now. When my master gave Timcanpy to me at fifteen, he was suddenly as tiny as this little one. I think it was because he switched masters,"

"Oh…" I muttered as I stopped walking and lifted my hand up to Tobi. This time he landed on my hand gracefully, fluttering his wings before letting them fall gently to his side. I smiled at him before I rubbed his tiny form against my cheek. I remembered Timcanpy's round, plump form. In the picture that I had seen in Komui's office, I figured that Timcanpy had always looked that way, but as I looked up to Tobi in my hand, I wondered how Timcanpy could possibly be as tiny as Tobi. I looked to my feet, wondering just how much emotions he had to feed on to grow so large. And could it be that only a very strong type of emotion, like at a crucial part of his life? How much has father gone through?

I blinked at that moment, realization washing over me. "Father, where's Timcanpy?" I asked inquisitively. Father stopped walking, turning back to me with a small look of confusion. Father gasped when he looked around in a slightly panicked state before a look of comprehension appeared on his face and he laughed.

"Well," Father chuckled as he explained. "Timcanpy went to do an errand for me. He should be back soon," father turned around and began walking once again. "Come on, I think we're almost there," I ran forward to catch up to father. He smiled as he put his hand on a tree branch and smiled at me. "Here we are!" He cried as he pulled back the branch.

I walked forward to see a large green field stretching over at least two acres. I smiled as I ran forward, instinctively doing a cartwheel. Truth be told, I've never done a perfect cartwheel, so as my feet hit the ground I found myself in an almost crouching position. I laughed nonetheless, stretching my legs out in front of me as I took in the strangely sweet smell of the grass. Tobi flew over and landed on my shoulder as I leaned my head back to soak in the early afternoon sun on my face. Father came next to me and sat down, pulling his bag off his back and pulling out two box lunches. I smiled as I took a box and tried my best not to eat a whole sandwich in one bite. Father chuckled at me as he took a bite out of his sandwich. "I see you have acquired my appetite," He said as he patted my head lightly. "It's almost as if you have to learn to eat all over again. Don't worry; you'll get the hang of it after a while,"

I smiled to father as I swallowed down my sandwich. "So the appetite comes with the innocence?" I asked as watched father closely.

He seemed content where he sat, letting the wind brush against his hair against his face and sometimes hiding his eyes from my view. His hair was longer than what it usually was, and he had to pull it back in a low ponytail, yet his hair still framed his face in a familiar way. There was a quaint smile on his face, the one he usually held on his face all the times when he was not bothered by a single thought. When he nodded, I looked back to my box and decided to gnaw on a piece of celery as he spoke. "It's a sign of parasitic type innocence. Did anyone see you eat in the Order?" I shook my head in reply. I understood his concern, being that I didn't really want the Order to know I had innocence either.

I looked back to father as I spoke. "Only Mr. Komui, but I ate very slowly with him. He ordered a bunch of food from Mr. Jerri and had it sent to his room. It was then that I found out he knew who I was, but I'm sure he didn't realize I had innocence; he was just trying to win me over," I remembered meeting Komui in the Order. It was a delightful experience being that he had such a complex personality. He was so careless and playing, but so serious and stern. I decided to look at father from the corner of my eye, looking at him almost accusingly. "He had a bunch of pictures of me hidden in a file in his desk…" I let the sentence linger, watching closely for any deviation of his face.

The blush covered that covered his cheeks was not difficult to miss. "Oh," Father muttered with a shy expression on his face. "I'm sorry about that… must have been a little creepy seeing that. Komui is prone to becoming very attached with people in short amounts of time. He held you once when you were a baby and I never heard the end of it,"

I giggled at my father's explanation, finding that it suited the Komui that I had grown to know and care. I took a bite of an apple slice, chewing slowly as I Imaged what the next bit of conversation would spring into the open. One thing that I found I was entranced with was the story of my father's curse, something that I did not understand or know about in the least bit. It was something mentioned many times, yet I still hadn't had the slightest clue. _'I do not think he is actually cursed, but that everyone just spread the rumors. I wonder what started it. Is it the hair?'_ I inquired to myself. '_Or maybe they're talking about his scar. I'm sure that has something to do with it. Nobody has such a breathtaking scar without a story, and they do love to tell stories in the Order._'

Of course, that was something I've always wondered, with or without the sudden change in daily routine that led me astray on an epic quest; I've always wanted to know about that scar. It didn't scare me or anything of the sort, I was simply a curious soul by nature. But I realized that, without this journey hovering over me, I do not believe I would ever have asked about these subjects. It was all thanks to Timcanpy leading me away from the village. A small smile appeared on my face as I remembered that hectic night. Ever since I saw that vision of my father from Tim's hologram, my original path has forever been altered.

Yet what was it about that hologram that spiked my interest the most? My father's need of me? The sense of danger? No, that was not it. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. "Alicia, is something wrong? You look dumbstruck," My eyes darted to the eyes of my father. They glared over a silver shine, almost dissipating the same blue color that my own eyes held. I slowly shook my head.

"I'm fine," I muttered. I placed a vivid smile on my lips, looking to my father with my eyes shining with glee. "I just anxious, but that should change soon,"

Father chuckled as he placed his lunch box back in the bag. My eyes widened when I saw that, being that I still hadn't finished mine and his meal was three times bigger. He chuckled again at my expression as he stood from his spot, wiping off his pants as he did so. "So I guess now is as good a time as any. We've established that it's parasitic type; let's see what else we can find out about your innocence,"

"You're gonna test me now?" I asked as I stuffed my face with the rest of the other sandwich I had.

Father raised an eyebrow at me. "Yes, why not?"

I shook my head, finding his confidence slightly irritating. Nonetheless, I was excited, and I nodded eagerly as I stood from my spot. Father backed up slightly, and I took the time to take a deep breath and ready myself. Anxiousness spread through my body. It was the first time I would train with father knowingly. I was almost sure that he had secretly trained me with playing with Timcanpy when I was younger, but now was the time to use my innocence. I steadied my breath, preparing myself to feel the wind that whipped around my body. Instead, I was pushed to the ground, a cold, metal-like object pressed against my neck.

My eyes shot open in surprise to see long claws pressed against my next. A cloak of white fluttered next to me, and I looked up only to see a grey mask which seemed to stare past me. "You're too slow," My eyes grew wide at the recognition my father's voice. The claws slipped away from my neck as he walked past me. My hand went to my neckline instinctively as I turned my head to see father walking away. He stopped a few feet away from me. "Neither Akuma nor Noah will wait for you to activate your innocence. You need to activate it as quickly as possible. Don't think that it won't work if you don't take your time," father turned to me, and I gaped upon figure. It was the same as before, his left arm morphed into a claw, a white cloak flowing behind him, and the strange grey mask that he used to hide his eyes. He raised his left hand, a small smirk resting on his lips. "We don't have much time… I would have encouraged you to take your time and learn of your innocence the old fashioned way, but we only have a week to train. Instead, I'm going to have to train you the same way I was trained by Fou; enforcing a dangerous situation to acquire a response from your innocence,"

I didn't understand what he meant at first, but as he ran at me with his left arm outstretched, I quickly learned. I jumped to my right, avoiding his attack just barely before he quickly pivoted and attacked again. I leaped to the side, tucking and rolling on the ground to try to dodge his ongoing attacks. As I pulled myself back up to my feet, I saw my father straighten his back and began walking away from me. I blinked at him in my confusion, unsure of what he was doing. He turned around to face me once again, moving into a position that suggested he was reading for another attack. I would not let him get me this time. I moved myself into a defensive position, and narrowed my eyes at the smirk that appeared on my father's face. He lunged forward, his clawed hand held outward as if he was going for the kill. My senses were going crazy. My body didn't want to move. I closed my eyes, holding my arms out in front of me in a desperate attempt to block his attack.

Nothing happened.

I slowly opened my eyes to see his clawed hand inches away from my face. At first I believed he held back again, that I had once again failed in any attempt to use my innocence, when I noticed that his hand was shaking. I looked to my father's face to see that he had broken out in sweat, his mouth sneering as he tried to move his left arm. A wide smile appeared on my face. I pulled back my arms, receiving his attention for a split second before I pushed my arms forwards and sent him flying across the field. I watched anxiously to see him land, and frowned stubbornly as I noticed him skid on his feet and land in a crouched position. His head shot up to look at me, causing his mask to fall off his surprised face. I smiled devilishly at him, feeling quite smug that I sent him flying with one of the first things I had learned about my innocence. The smile disappeared when he ran towards me at a rapid speed, nearly catching me off guard when he appeared in front of me. Dodging him became smoother for me as I used the patterns of the wind to guide my movement. It seemed to be frustrating father to see me easily dodge his attacks.

I jumped away from father as he slashed vertically towards me. I outstretched my right arm, feeling the wind obey my silent command. Father raised an eyebrow at me, immediately going into a defensive stance as I finally saw the wind that whipped wildly around my arm. I looked over to father wickedly, causing father to fidget slightly. He ran forward, probably hoping to attack me before I could attack him. As he made to attack me, I moved my right arm to block the blow.

It stopped before it reached my arm. Father looked to me curiously, and I returned the look whole heartedly. Why did he stop? He pulled away slightly, looking to me with bewilderment that I just didn't understand. And then it hit me. He didn't see the wind that caressed my right arm, so he had no idea that I was actually using my innocence to defend myself. I pursed my lips to hide the smile that tried to crawl on my face. He had no clue.

I took the opportunity to my advantage. I lifted my left arm as if I was about to push him away. His guard came up again, and I had to stop myself from smirking as I saw that he was completely focused on my left arm. I lunged myself forward and my father's eyes grew wide as I sliced against his white cloak. My eyes widened when it didn't cut it, and I could already see the realization wash over father as he backed away from me. I pretty much glared at his coat, frustrated and confused as to why it didn't cut. As I was pondering this, father lunged at me again and I parried the attack away from me. A smirk appeared on his face. "What do you have there?" he muttered with slight humor laced threw his voice. I smiled sweetly at him as I motioned to my arm.

"Can't you see it? It's as plain as day," Father frowned at my words. His right hand grabbed the wrist of his left as he smiled sinisterly to me.

"Well then, if you want to play that way," My eyes grew wide as father pulled at his wrist. A strange light appeared and he slowly pulled out a broad sword from his left arm. No, he didn't pull it from his left arm, it was his left arm. He held it with his right hand as if it weighed nothing, his face holding his smirk at he pointed it towards me. "I believe you have some type of sword… maybe a knife or small blade. If you plan to play with weapons like that, then you can face the full potential of Crown Clown,"

"C-Crown Clown?" I muttered nervously as I took a step back. Father's innocence took on a completely different state. Was that even possible? I looked upon his sword with fear, feeling that something about that sword was pulsing fear into my body. I took a defensive pose, eyeing his sword wearily as I waited for an attack. I think father noticed my hesitation. He looked me straight in the eye and held the contact, and I swear I felt a calming sensation wash over me. But I couldn't feel too comfortable; father immediately rushed at me at full speed. He jumped into the air, swinging down his sword at what seemed to be full force. I held up my right arm in an attempt to block the attack. Father's sword contacted with my Gale Blade, but almost instantly it begin to slide threw it, as if it wasn't even there. My eyes grew wide and I pushed myself away, colliding with the ground and rolling off of it in an attempt to gain distance. I pulled myself into a crouching position and stared at my father.

My eyes were wide as I looked at the sword that was now embedded in the ground I once stood. It sliced threw my Gale Blade and almost hit my arm. How was that possible? I looked to my arm quickly. The wind that whipped around it didn't look phased. What was going on?

Father pulled out his sword and charged at me again. I shook my arm, dispersing my Gale Blade as I grabbed a rock from the ground and squeezed it in my hand. I wasn't going to give him the chance to touch me. I felt my chest tingle, and the bright green glow resonated from it as I jumped into the sky above him. Father looked up to me in shock as I did a front flip above his head. My feet came down, looking as if I would land on his head, but instead I pushed myself even higher in the sky and further away from him. Just as I thought he would, he ran after me and jumped into the air, trying to at least gain some lost distance. I turned around and threw the rock at him, releasing my breath as I did so. The rock slammed straight into his gut, causing him to fall back to the ground quicker than he should have. A wide smile came upon my face as I propelled myself further into the sky, threatening to touch the clouds above of me. As I made my third jump, I felt something wrap around my leg. I gasped at the feeling. It was impossible for him to be this high unless he could fly… oh God, he can't fly, can he?

I looked down in panic, hoping that I wouldn't see father's arm gripping my ankle and trying to pull me down. Instead, I found a strange rope wrapped around my leg, tugging at me to pull me down. I looked towards the ground to see it originating from father's form, and my eyes grew wide. "How many forms does his innocence take?" I shrieked as I lifted my arm and attempted to slash at the rope. Just like the cloak on his back, I found that I couldn't cut this strange rope. Was it because it was innocence, or just because it was really resilient? Either way, I groaned at the fact that I couldn't go further into the sky. It wasn't really pulling me down; being that my own wind-ground had a type of gravity that kept me on it securely. I was more angry about not being at the height that I wanted to be for this move. I sighed as I kneeled in the sky, looking down at the figure below me that seemed to be struggling to pull me down. I grinned down at my father, outstretching my arms and legs and allowing myself to fall.

I loved the feeling of the wind rushing past my face as I fell towards father, delivering what may very well be his doom. Luckily for him, he stopped me from going any further into the sky, so this may not hurt as much as it should. As I got closer towards the ground, I was pretty sure there was a smirk on father's face. Little did he know he would not win this. As I continued to fall I made no sighs of movement whatsoever. A look of unease finally appeared on his face as he realized such. Just as I was about to thrust my arms forward, father threw his sword in my direction. My eyes grew wide when I realized it was my wind against his sword.

Absolute terror surged through my veins as I threw my arms forward, and I flew further into the sky. The sword didn't slow down. I felt a horrible wrench on my ankle that made me scream. The rope was still around my foot. Tears streamed out my eyes as I tried to break loose from the hold. Because of my lack of concentration and the increase of pain I felt in my ankle, I couldn't help but notice that the rope was winning the tug of war contest and pulling me down. The sword was getting closer to me. I couldn't see because of my tears. I didn't know what to do. All I could think about was moving out of the way, but the downward motion was clouding my thoughts.

And then I saw it. I saw the sword. It flew straight in front of my nose. It missed me. I couldn't believe my eyes. It missed. I shook my head wildly. I should have known he'd miss. I grabbed the swords hilt before it could fly above me and I turned the blade towards the ground. He deserved this. Using my uninjured foot, I stomped on the hilt of the sword, sending it back down to the ground as hard as I could.

I waited three seconds. I wiped my sleeve over my eyes and allowed myself to slowly fall to the ground. As I fell, I was given more slack on the rope, and I lessened the death grip on my ankle. Soon I got it to unravel and fall towards the ground more rapidly. Before I was at a comfortable level to let gravity take effect, I felt myself fall into someone's grasp. I looked up to see my father smiling down at me apologetically. I noticed his left arm was back, which meant that it didn't stab him in the head like I wanted it to back then. He hugged me close to him before he sat me on the ground and placed my ankle on his travel bag. "I felt something dislocate," He muttered as he delicately slipped off my boot. I flinched in pain. "Sorry," He apologized and he searched through the first aid kit next to him for some kind of wrapping. I shook my head.

"It should heal in a minute," I muttered as I rubbed my leg. Father raised an eyebrow at me, not believing my words. I ended up letting him wrap my ankle anyway. He sat there apologizing to me, telling me he went overboard and that he shouldn't try something like that again when he doesn't even know my innocence. I didn't interrupt his whining. I figured that since it would heal soon anyway, I might as well let him drown himself for a little while. Besides, he would be offended if I didn't let him try to heal me. I wasn't angry at him, I could never be, but I did believe that his ignorance about my innocence is what caused this. But as he wrapped my foot, occasionally looking up at me with pitifully sorrowful eyes, I couldn't help but smile up to my loving father. No one could really stay mad at him long, it just wasn't natural. Maybe that's what happened with the Order, he messed up really bad and then they realized they missed him. As father leaned forward to inspect the gaze, I leaned forward and kissed his cheek. His face turned a light shade of pink and he wrapped his arm around me as he chuckled in slight embarrassment. When he wasn't looking, I wiggled my ankle to see how much it hurt and judge the healing process that way. It was almost healed by the time he finished.

Father adjusted my foot back on his bag and lay back on the grass, covering his eyes with his arms. "I'm a klutz…" he muttered to himself, a long drawn out sigh escaping his lips. I smiled at him once again, knowing that he was just too protective over me. Throughout that whole fight I was never in any real danger. He was probably holding out on me greatly. His innocence was so fascinating. How could it be that his innocence could take so many shapes? It was truly interesting. I looked down to my hands, my face frozen in puzzlement. I had once thought my innocence was amazing. It could command the wind. The possibilities were endless! Yet I had not come up with any greater of a use or form than what I already had. And father's innocence was so unique, too! His left arm turning into a sword, to manipulate his innocence in such a way was incredibly shocking to me. And not to mention that passive form it takes, with the protective cloak and mysterious mask that he can wear across his face. And where did that rope come from?

I leaned back in the grass to stare at the sky, feeling the something was off in the inclination of where I lay. It almost seemed as if the ground was intended, and I patted the area around me in a small daze. At that moment father chuckled, and I saw him raise himself to speak to me properly. "Your last attack was very strong," He said as he reached forward to rub my head gently. "It was almost light a vacuum effect at first. I thought I would explode, but in the end it lifted me up then slammed me down, and it caused the belt to… I'm sorry," I smiled at my father, and I took the time to explain that it was more my fault than his. He didn't believe me and eventually lay back in the grass once again, covering his eyes with his arm to keep out the sun.

I lay back as well, looking back to the sky in surprise to see that not much time had passed by at all. The sun seemed to be in the same place as it was before. My eyes circled the sky, scanning the large white clouds and the top of trees that surrounded us. A small glint of light caught my eye, and I pulled myself back into a sitting position. A large smile appeared across my face as I pointed towards the tree line. "Look, it's Timcanpy!"

Father pulled himself into a half sitting half laying position as he caught a glance at the golden orb. A grin appeared on his face as Timcanpy collided with his stomach, successfully knocking him back to the ground. Father laughed as he rubbed the head of the large golem that snuggled into his form. "Hey, Tim! Nice to see you again," Timcanpy crawled up to father's face and nudged against his chin. I giggled at the affection that father was receiving from the large golden golem. Timcanpy looked to me after he heard my giggling, and immediately flew to me and snuggled into my side. I laughed as I tried to wrap my arms around Timcanpy's large form.

"Timcanpy! I missed you! Why didn't you come find me?" I asked as I pulled away from the hug. Timcanpy looked to be slightly guilty, and I found that I couldn't stay mad at the golem in front of me. I shook my head and brought him back into a tight hug. "It doesn't matter! We're all here again!" Timcanpy jolted; he jumped out of my arms and flew around my head in a panic. Father leaped forward and grabbed Timcanpy's tail, where I then noticed that Tobi had bitten onto. I giggled nervously as father pinched the base of Tobi's tail, which caused him to release his death grip on Timcanpy. Tobi flew back to me, were I snatched him from the air and glared at him. "No, Tobi! Do not hurt Timcanpy! He's done nothing to deserve it!" I gave an apologetic look to Timcanpy. "I'm sorry, Tim. Here, let me introduce you. Tim, this is Tobimaru, my own little golem. Tobi, this is Timcanpy, my father's golem,"

Tobi grinned at Timcanpy, revealing the small set of chopper's that he used to latch onto Timcanpy's tail, as well as Timothy's nose back at the Order. In return, Tim gave his large toothy grin right back, causing Tobi to stiffen in my hand and almost immediately crawl up the sleeve of my arm. I gave a nervous laugh, unsure about the first meeting that my golems shared. Father gave a slight chuckle as he allowed Timcanpy to crawl onto his shoulder. "So, Tim, anything to report?"

I looked up to father questionably for that small statement. I was almost sure that I saw Timcanpy in the Order right before I left, so I couldn't help but think that he was up to something. Timcanpy gave a small nod like motion, and father returned it sternly. He flashed me as small smile before he excused himself and walked a few feet away, taking a seat on the ground and allowing Timcanpy to move in front of him. He wasn't too far away from me, so I could plainly see the hologram that Timcanpy was projecting. I was stunned to see an image of room 00X. The vision turned away from it, looking up to one of the ajar windows that lined the top of the hallway. He seemed as if he was going to fly to it when a girl ran into his vision. At first I thought I saw Lenalee, but then I realized it was not so. This girl looked to be slightly younger, with longer hair and paler sin. Though I couldn't see father's face, I could tell by looking at his form that something was wrong. The girl outstretched her hand to the door, but stopped, resting her head against the door. Father turned his head slightly to look at me, and in a panic state I covered my eyes with my arm and lay in the grass. After a little while I uncovered my eyes partially, seeing the girl reach for the doorknob once again and the door slowly sliding open. My eyes grew wide. She opened the door to room 00X. My curiosity about the door got the better of me. I watched intently as I saw Timcanpy's vision quickly run through the door and hide under what seemed to be a bed. The girl sat on the opposite bed, looking dazed and amazed. She stood up, looking at pictures that rested on a vanity next to the bed, her facial expression varying with each picture. She took a picture and went to sit on the bed again, her face obviously dumbfounded as she turned on the light next to the bed. She placed the picture down and grabbed another, regret filling her face as she held it against her chest. I couldn't help but wonder what was on that picture that made her feel that way. The next thing I saw, she was holding a small envelope in her hand.

Father distracted me from the vision as he gasped loudly. "That's still there?" he exclaimed, his hand rubbing the back of his head as I heard him moan. "Man, I can't believe… Don't open it!" I jolted as father yelled at the hologram. Timcanpy jumped as well, causing the hologram to fail and Timcanpy to stare up at father nervously. I lifted myself back into a sitting position.

"Father?" I muttered in a whisper. Father hung his head low, not acknowledging my cry. I made to get up very slowly, tapping my injured foot against the ground to see that it was fully healed. I walked over to father carefully and wrapped my arms around his neck. He jumped at the sudden touch, and he looked to me in confusion and distress. I smiled at him. "Is everything ok?"

Father slowly smiled at me. He pulled me around and I sat in his lap comfortably and he hugged me. "Yeah," he muttered as he kissed my head. "Everything's ok…"

Of course I didn't believe him. How could I when he was obviously so distressed. Looking up to his face, my eyes widened as I saw that Father's face was flushed a very deep crimson color. I couldn't help but wonder what exactly was on that letter…

_**/O\**_

A subtle breeze blew across my face as I steadied my eyes. The noise around me died down, decreasing into a small murmur that rested casually in the background. I was secure. I was calm. I was concentrated. And with the simplest of ease I dodged the agile movement of the blade that swung at me. I arched my back, flipping backwards as I attempted to kick the hilt out of the hands of my opponent with no such luck. The blade came towards me again, but with an elegant kick towards his side I discouraged him from following through on the attack. He jumped away from me, succeeding in dodging my attack, holding Mugen at the ready.

I took my own jump back, steadying myself on my Black Boots as I landed. I took deep breaths as I once again steadied my eyes on Kanda's form. Kanda held my steady gaze with a fierce glare, trying to intimidate me in some way, putting up a false sense of superiority that I could see straight through. After a few moments, Kanda lowered Mugen, signaling that he was finished with our training. I consider that a success, being that we had only just begun. I couldn't help the aching feeling that he was holding out on me, but I ignored it. A smile grew on my lips as my Dark Boots deactivated, forming comfortably around my ankles as anklets, and I strolled over to Kanda's side. "Good work today," I called as I reached Kanda's side. He grunted, acknowledging my presence as he slipped Mugen into its sheath. I held my smile strong, knowing that Kanda would not ignore me like he did the others in the Order. I knew you just had to be patient with him, that's all. He adjusted the sheath on his side and eyed me almost suspiciously. I felt my cheeks grow hot at his look, so I turned away somewhat and took a step forward nonchalantly. "We'll be promoted to General's one day, I just know it. When we hit that hundred percent mark-"

"Che," I blinked at the audible sound that escaped Kanda's lips. Turning to him, I saw the scowl that now covered his lean face. He shook his head so faintly that I barely noticed it. "We won't be promoted. We have Crystal type innocence. They're too afraid to promote us. We're not even allowed to train with anyone,"

I frowned at his words. They were too true. Ever since Kanda came back, the changes had become more and more evident. At first I thought everyone was too afraid to train with Kanda and I, but after a while it became clear that there was more behind it. It was strange, really. Marie, Bookman, Lavi, and many others had a hundred percent synchronization rating and were all promoted to General's, but Kanda and I haven't even been checked for synchronization ratings. In fact, I'm almost certain that we should be General's at this moment.

But I shook my head at Kanda's words. I could not be negative. Not today, after An's outburst at breakfast. I had already promised myself that I wouldn't show any weakness after that. I would stay strong in the memory of Allen. There was another reason why I wouldn't dare have any more negativity today. Today was the day that I returned to HQ from the Asian branch. Today was the day I found out that Allen was gone.

No, I would not allow this day to have any more problems. I lifted my head up and revealed a smile to Kanda. "Don't think that way, Kanda-San," Kanda's face immediately turned a flash of red, which he quickly hid from my view as well as others who passed. I smiled fondly at him, reaching out at placing my hand on his shoulder lightly. "Let's just be grateful… that we aren't test-subjects anymore," Kanda's eyes flashed at me. He gave a simple, quick nod. He gathered his composer as we left the training ring to make room for other exorcists willing to train. I sat on the steps that surrounded the ring, smiling proudly as I watched young exorcists train to better understand their innocence. It was bizarre; it seemed like only yesterday that I was that young, a simple teenager who lived and trained with the Order. Not that I was old, because I consider twenty-six to be a great age, but there seemed to be many more teen exorcist than there used to be…

"You hold in your emotion's well," I blinked in shock as I turned to look at Kanda. He stood above me, leaning against one of the pillars as he watched the exorcist in a bored manner. His eyes shifted to my curious face for a moment before he looked back to the exorcist. "I thought you would still be worrying about what An said,"

"Oh…" I muttered, my hands instinctively turning into fist on my knees. Of course he would say something like that. He would be the one to try to make it hard for me. He didn't mean to; in fact, I think he was trying to help, but it nearly faltered the smile on my face. I looked down to my lap, ensuring that I would not make eye contact with Kanda. "I had forgotten…" I mumbled under my breath.

"Liar," my head shot up to see a sly smirk on Kanda's face. It was subtle, and the people that passed didn't seem to see it. But I saw it as plain as day on his usually 'monotone' face.

I giggled at his small expression of emotion. I was so glad to see that on his face. "You can see right through me, huh?" I beamed up to him, though I knew he could see how I felt in my eyes; Pained, Heartbroken, Overall unease. I gave a light sigh before I continued. "You know how I felt about him, Kanda. I believe… I know that I can't change what has been done. I just…" I bit my lips, holding back my tears. Could I even tell him the truth? Him, of all people, who I was so sure would understand? "W-why would anyone believe that I would lie to them?" I muttered. It was such a subtle sentence, but I was sure he'd understand. If he didn't, then I don't think I would have the willpower to explain. So I waited and listened, hoping that Kanda would hear my words.

"You're Lenalee Lee. You're brilliant, kind, and beautiful. More than you could say about me," I raised an eyebrow at Kanda's attempt at humor. I truly wanted to laugh, but it was stifled as he looked me straight in the eye. "It's not that they believe that you're lying to them, it's just that they don't understand his importance,"

I nodded at his words slowly, trying to process what information he had given me. They don't understand his importance? What was there to not understand? He was a general, he could control the Ark, and he saved everyone's lives countless of times… Why would they not see his importance?

I slowly closed my eyes. He was important to everyone. Loved by everyone. Especially me… was that what Kanda meant? My eyes opened and I looked across the training area, seeing exorcist sparing enthusiastically, giving it their all. I looked behind them to see some exorcists talking casually, not a care in the world. I accidentally witness a personal moment as Monica placed a kiss on Collin's cheek. It made me wonder something. If I had spoken about how important Allen was to me, how much I cared and loved him… would they see then? I'd like to believe so. I'd like to think it was such a small problem. Did I idolize him, making him seem too much like a pure and innocent boy, instead of the daring and passionate man I knew him to be? I slowly smiled up to Kanda, holding his eye contact as I tilted my head. "Kanda, I could kiss you right now," I said before my mind could process the pros and cons of that statement. Kanda's eyes grew wide and he broke the eye contact as a fierce blush appeared on his face. I giggled as I decided that I didn't regret it. The twenty-eight year old man rolled his eyes at me as he began to walk away, but I reached out and lightly pulled his arm to make him sit down next to me. He seemed uncomfortable, but I knew he would soon lean his head against the pillar and be at ease.

The sound of heavy footsteps rapidly approaching caused me to turn around. Before I could react properly, a pair of arms wrapped around my neck and squeezed me tightly. "Lenalee~! Don't go~!"

A hoarse gasp escaped my lips. "D-don't go where?" I cried as I pushed my hysterical brother off of my form. He fell to his knees in a traumatized state, crying into the sleeve of his shirt. As he looked to me, he noticed Kanda sitting next to me, and instinctively a glare appeared on his face. I knew that look. It was the 'what are you doing sitting next to my little sister you perverted Octopus!?' look. The look Kanda had received every day after I found him in a bar in France and reluctantly brought him back to the Order as he asked. Before Komui could accuse Kanda of something that may or may not have happened, I waved my hands in front of his face. "Where do you not want me to go?"

Komui instantaneously began sniffling as he wrapped his arms around me again. "On another mission, of course! Don't leave me! I try to understand, I really do, but I know your gone when the coffee taste like-"

"I'm going on another mission?" I asked as I patiently patted my older brothers back.

Komui slowly pulled away. "Well… no, actually," An almost sly looking smirk appeared on his face as he adjusted his glasses. "Number of suspected innocence phenomenons have decreased, as well as Akuma sightings around the world. I wouldn't expect you to go on another mission any time soon,"

I raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you-"

"L-Lenalee?" I looked over Komui's shoulder to see the petite frame that belonged to An. I blinked in shock as I saw her form slowly walk up to me, both of her hands behind her back in a shy or insecure manner. I had the sneaking suspicion that Komui had made a scene because he knew An was coming, but as Komui slowly turned around, he looked over to An with as much curiosity as I had. Her eyes met with Komui's and she froze, quickly bowing in a respectable manor. "T-thank you, Komui…"

Komui smiled warmly towards An, an air of understanding washing over him. "Of course, An. Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Y-yes sir," She said cautiously, slowly pulling her left hand out from behind her back. "And… and maybe a little more," Komui's eyes were wide as he gazed upon what An held in her hand. It was an envelope, the top half of it ripped open and what seemed to be the corner of a letter sticking out at one end. Komui stood and practically ran to receive it, but An pulled back her hand instinctively. "No!" She cried, causing Komui's inquisitive eyes to study her face entirely. "No, you can't read it. I did, and I feel so horrible for it. It's…" An looked over to me, her eyes probing for answers on my face. "For Lenalee,"

I was speechless as my eyes met with An's. Just that morning I thought she hated me, that she despised my being because it caused her to become embarrassed in front of the whole order, but now she looked to me with almost grateful and sorrowful eyes, and I knew that she truly regretted the things she said. Only after I noticed such did I realize that we had drawn a crowd. The exorcists that were training stared upon us from afar, scientist passing by stopped to marvel, and I felt every eye directed solely on me. I slowly stood from my stop, dusting off my skirt as I moved closer to An. I gave her a kind smile to ease the stress that was seen across her face. "What are you talking about…?" I asked as I found myself in front of her. She was about a foot shorter than me, and almost looked like a frightened child as she looked into my eyes. I swallowed down the knot in my throat. "You were in room 00X, right?"

An slowly nodded. "Yes," She mumbled under her breath. "Allen Walker's room,"

Immediately the whispers spread across the hall. It gradually became louder and louder, and I heard many assumptions of lies and disbelieve until Kanda growled and yelled "Shut up!" I stared at An incredulously. In no story had I told anyone that it was his room. In no memory had I mentioned its existence. I knew that everyone had assumed that it was his room, especially after this morning, but I wouldn't have imagined that Komui actually _gave_ her the key. I felt annoyance rise up in me. I felt jealousy and an abnormal feeling of incomprehension washed over me. I just couldn't understand it. I shook my head.

"Yes, I know it was Allen's room. I've been in there many times when he was here," next to me I heard Komui shriek _'You did?'_ in a shocked state, but it was immediately muffled out by Kanda elbowing him in the side. I ignored the scene and kept my eyes on An. "You actually went in there?" I saw a veil of guilt cover An at that moment. She slowly nodded her head. I felt my eyebrows crease together. "What did you find?"

I heard An gulp. She gripped the envelope in her hand tightly as she spoke. "I mostly found pictures. Pictures of him and everyone who claimed to know him," An carefully held out the envelope to me. "And I found this behind a lovely picture of you two," I gazed upon the opened envelope that An held out to me. Doubt filled my mind. This wasn't a real letter, was it? No, it couldn't be, Allen always spoke his mind to me. Why would he feel the need to write me a letter? A frown appeared on my face. Even if it was real, who was to say how old it was? It could be before he left, or it may have just been a sick joke. Accepting this letter wouldn't solve anything. But then again, no one knew about the one picture of me and him that he had. Though she could have told the truth, I wasn't willing to accept it. Just before I made to shake my head, An pulled her other arm from behind her back. "It came with this," Curiously, my eyes traveled down to look to the palm of her hand. I was surprised to see a small black box.

Silence. That's exactly how I would describe that moment. Any excess noise completely vanished. I heard Komui suck in a deep breath, and Kanda quickly moved to my side to stare at the small black box. _'It's a sick joke!'_ a voice behind me screamed, but I couldn't stop my hands from accepting both the letter and the box. Seeing the envelope closer to my face I noticed, in his exact handwriting, my name written delicately on the front. I almost let my worries slip away at that fact, but then again the letter was already opened and seemed to be shoved back into place. I ignored it. I simply pulled out the letter and unfolded it properly. Kanda backed away slightly, as if to give me my privacy as I gazed upon the contents of the letter. On the first line my heart stopped.

'_Dear Lenalee,_

_I just want you to know that it wasn't your fault._

_If that line confuses you, let me explain. I didn't abandon the Order because of what happened to you. In fact, I would hardly call my departure 'abandonment'. I left for unrelated reasons that I will willingly confront you on __when__ I see you again._

_The Black Order is going to reject me. I've known that. I made this decision knowing that. And in knowing this, I will still ask this of you. Open the box. I hope you will be pleasantly surprised... but there is something else in that box. A hidden meaning. A secret. One that I hope you will understand._

_I love you, Lenalee. Never forget that. I know I won't._

_Forever yours,_

_Allen Walker'_

I carefully folded the paper and slipped it back into the envelope. "Lenalee?" Kanda muttered as I reached for the lid of the box in my hand. Hearing his voice I hesitated, drawing my hand back and staring at it curiously. I still wondered if it was a sick joke. Did I lead on too strongly about my relationship with him? Did someone figure it out? No possible scenario in my mind told me this was a lie, but as my finger grazed across the top of the box, I lost all feelings in my knees. "Lenalee!" Kanda muttered as he caught me before I hit the ground. I sobbed into Kanda's chest, holding both the box and letter close to me.

"I… I can't do it!" I cried, holding onto Kanda firmly. I felt Komui's hand on my shoulder at that moment, trying to comfort me. I shook my head, my tears staining Kanda's uniform. "This isn't real," I screeched, my sobs growing louder with each word. I felt a hand trace my chin, and looked up into Kanda's eyes. They were blank, nearly emotionless. Nearly. I bit my lip as I saw his sorrow in his eyes. I shook my head, trying to deny his thoughts. "I'm afraid, Kanda," I cried as I buried my head in his chest once again. "It says there's a secret in the box, and… I don't know what to say… how to react if what I think is in this box…"

"Shut up and keep crying," Kanda muttered, placing his hand on the back of my head in a seemingly annoyed manner. I whimpered lightly but obeyed. I felt him run his hand over my hair, probably withstanding a glare from Komui. His hushed voice barely reached my ears. "We both know what you'd do,"

I nodded my head on his chest, slowly drying my tears. "Yes…" I muttered, lifting my head and looking Kanda in the eye. He knew me almost too well. He knew my answer. He understood. I slowly smiled, though it was not of happiness, but of understanding. "I'd make him ask me himself," I placed my head gently on his chest once again. "He's going to want to hear every word that I have to say to him,"

**Yay! Dis chapter is finished!**

**So, I haven't made my side story yet, so Kanda and Lenalee must be confusing. Let me just say now that they are NOT a couple… maybe… but I do love Kanda, so he had to play that part ^^**

**Fight scene, FTW! I'm usually bad at those, and then I realized that the less dialoged the better. I hoped you enjoyed it, being that there hasn't been a lot of fighting in a while. There will be more though, so don't worry!**

**I'm gonna end the poll here and just say that I know that Everyone loves Alicia the best :) Now please, my dedicated readers, give me your reviews! I get so upset that I don't wanna type without them :'( But I know you guys won't be so mean this time!**


	16. Chapter 16

**14,297 words! I'm really sorry for the delayed update! I'm sure this will make everyone happy!**

**I Do Not Own -Man. Only Alicia Walker and the many other OC's presented in this story belong to me!**

**Happy readings!**

_Allen leaned back in the hammock that was set up for him in Reynaldo's room. Timcanpy sat on his head as he gently rocked side to side in a soothing motion. Allen looked over to the side to see Link was back at work, organizing and messing with papers as he placed them on the coffee table in front of him. Allen looked past Link to see Cilicia sitting on Reynaldo's "strange", rectangular bed, worry obvious on her flawless face. Allen knew how she felt. Neither of them expected Link to come back so quickly, but it turned out he rushed back after hearing about the attack. In return, they weren't so sure on how to actually have Cilicia sneak out that day. Allen originally had planned to say he was going to get food and left Cilicia 'asleep', but he knew that Cilicia wouldn't be able to get past Link, who was so careful and paranoid that, when Allen wasn't around to escort, he would usually walk her to the bathroom and back._

_And Link's return had made him extremely nervous. Though he was just as aware as anyone else about the abuse Cilicia was put through, he agreed with Lord Pena to restart the medication. Not an inch of Allen's fiber told him that Link said it for the sake of keeping good relations. No, he believed that Cilicia would be punished for something that Link knew Allen felt was his own doing. With Link's sudden agreement with Lord Pena, Allen soon came to terms with Cilicia's planned course of action._

_The only problem was deciding on how to go through with the intended plan. Link wanted Cilicia to be supervised at all times, and he would never suspect Allen letting her out of his sight; especially after a sudden and life threatening attack. So Link would easily suspect Allen's watchful eye over her, for he had no idea about the situation at hand. So if Cilicia would volunteer to go somewhere with Allen, then Link wouldn't protest. Of course, there was the fact that Link dispraised the thought of them ever being alone together. It was as if he was trying to steal Allen's job of watching over her away from him. Link actually fought the vacation proposal for weeks before he was finally __**ordered**__ to take it. But Allen knew it was just a risk that he was going to have to take. Allen stood from his hammock, stretching out his arms as he did so. "Well, being that she has to leave soon, I think I'm going to say goodbye to Lenalee," He stated as he made his way to the door. His eyes drifted to Cilicia, who looked at him curiously. Allen winked at her, and she quickly understood his intentions._

"_May I go with you?" Cilicia asked excitedly as she stood from her spot. She wouldn't hide her glee, mostly for the fact that Link was aware- no matter how much it ached him- that Cilicia was fond of Lenalee. Cilicia looked to Link from the corner of her eye to see that, as expected, he didn't seem to care much at all. He didn't even seem to be paying attention. Cilicia smiled to Allen, who returned the smile with just a hint of mischief as he replied._

"_Sure, I don't mind,"_

_Link let out an unnecessary grunt, as if he felt the need to point out to Allen that he didn't approve every time he could. It was like that with everything that he did. Allen was relieved to find that Link didn't intervene, which may have been because of the mention of Lenalee. Link was never bothered when Allen visited her, with or without Cilicia, because he felt that Allen wouldn't dare do anything with or about Cilicia directly in front of her. But it was obvious that he felt sorry for Lenalee, being that he was completely aware of Allen's relations with Cilicia… well, almost completely aware. Allen inhaled a deep breath as he calmed his annoyance with Link, and he motioned for Cilicia to follow him out of the room. They quickly stepped out of the door and closed it behind them._

_Allen walked exceptionally fast away from the room as adrenaline pumped through his veins. Cilicia quickened her pace to keep up with him. "So, what's the plan?" She asked as she walked especially close to Allen. Though he was not particularly bothered by it, he still felt the need to nudge her away slightly and keep a professional look between them. Allen looked around carefully, and before he could speak a young maid walked by. Allen shifted his persona, making it seem as if he was glaring at Cilicia._

"_I can't believe you hid the fact that you weren't taking your medication! How far will you go to rebel?" he noticed he gained a small glance from the maid before she continued on her way. Allen smirked slightly, eyeing Cilicia to see only confusion on her face. He regained the distance between them as he spoke to her. "Have you noticed that the work here likes to gossip a lot? If we can get it in their mind that you're rebelling, it will make much more sense for you to run off. Also… I mean, come on Lady Cilicia! How could you hide that for a month? What's next, you gonna stop eating? How else do you plan to endanger your health?" Allen looked behind him to see the next maid turn a corner. He leaned back to Cilicia. "When we get close to the kitchen, I want you to say in front of the cook that you're going back to your room. Take the back entrance, the one that is less in use. After that, you can run off," Cilicia nodded in understanding. Further down the hallway Cilicia bumped into Allen, slipping a small piece of paper in his pocket. Allen nodded solemnly as he opened the door to the kitchen to see Lenalee talking to the cook. A smile appeared on her face as she saw Allen enter. "Hello, Lenalee," Allen called as he entered. Though Allen knew that they were about to pull something off-the-wall crazy, it was always refreshing to see Lenalee's face. He walked towards her instantly, his smile growing with each step. Cilicia followed close behind, a small knowing smile on her face. _

_Lenalee turned in her chair and smiled at Allen. "Hey, you made it! Oh, hi Lady Cilicia! Did you come to say goodbye, too?"_

"_Sí, pequeña hermana," Cilicia murmured as she nodded slowly, holding her hands behind her back. She smiled softly to Lenalee, and Allen knew that she would not enjoy the lie that came from her lips. The lie itself wouldn't bother Cilicia; it was lying to Lenalee that would hurt her. Allen believed he actually understood why Cilicia was so fond of Lenalee. It was because Lenalee, though referred to as 'Little sister', reminded Cilicia of her older sister, whom he heard many stories of. A caring, understanding woman who had once loved a man with all her heart, but was forced to marry another who did not make her happy. Allen thought of the bond that Cilicia and Lenalee had acquired after such little time. Though Allen had never had a sibling, he had seen sibling relationships a lot after he joined the order, and believed that Lenalee and Cilicia thought of each other as family. So Allen watched as Cilicia braced herself for her lie. She took a deep breath, he face flushing slightly as she spoke. "Yes, I have. I was thinking of eating a little too… Oh," Cilicia brought a hand up to her face in a delicate way, running it across her warm cheek. "I'm sorry… but I actually think I need to go back. I just remembered… I'm not used to the medications anymore, so I'll be terribly worn when they start back up. I may have to rest today, maybe skip a meal…"_

_Lenalee nodded. Though her face showed a smile, her eyes revealed her grief. Allen noticed Lenalee looking at the cook from the corner of her eye. The cook leaned on the counter, giving a small smile towards the people in her kitchen as she listened intently on the conversation. Lenalee took a glance at Allen before she looked back to Cilicia. "I can't believe you've hidden it for over a month,"_

"_That's what I said," Allen agreed as he hid his smug smile. Even Lenalee was secretly helping with his plan. He made sure to face Cilicia fully. "I can't understand why you would do that…"_

_Cilicia nodded quickly, her face burning more than before. Allen wasn't sure whether it was acting or an accident, but couldn't wonder about it long before Cilicia bowed her head in a respectable way. "I'm really sorry about that! I promise that I won't do it again!" She straightened back up, a small smile upon her face. "I'll just… be returning to my room now…"_

"_Okay," Lenalee smiled at Cilicia. "You be strong, now," Cilicia nodded as she exited the kitchen. Allen sighed, knowing that the easy part was over. Allen turned towards the cook, shaking his head as if he was mystified or just plain disappointed. He smiled to himself before he asked the cook for a meal._

_**/O\**_

The sun rested along the horizon, sleepy at the end of the long day. The sky was painted in orange and pink, and the ground grew blue with the dimming sky. The wind whisked around my hair, going hand in hand with the sound of my feet stomping through the dewing grass. My father cried behind me, voicing his concern over the condition of my now fully healed ankle, completely unaware of its recovery. Timcanpy flapped his wings excitedly as he sped away from my moving feet, flying close to the ground and whisking the dew into the fresh air. I sprinted forward, reaching out my hand as I attempted to grab onto the golden tail. It whipped away from my grasp, and Timcanpy began to sore towards the sky. Bending my knees gently, with a soft glow emerging from my chest, I sprang towards the sky, catching Timcanpy's tail with such ease that Timcanpy didn't even realize. I pulled back his tail and engulfed him in my embrace, laughing at his distressed form as he frantically wiggled in my arms.

I slowly drifted towards the ground and ran towards my father's side. Tobi flew past my face and circled around father before flying behind him. Father's eyes followed Tobi, and he spun around and became dizzy with the movement. After father regained his balance he saw me again and smiled so warm, so welcoming, that I instantly felt at home when I saw him. He heaved his travel bag over his shoulder as I reached him, and I released Timcanpy so that he may fly to father's shoulder. "I think you're too advanced for Timcanpy's playing," Father said as Timcanpy rested on his shoulder. Said golem's wings dropped at his sides at father's words in disappointment. I shook my head and began rubbing his tail as father chuckled and rubbed the symbol on his face.

"Nah, Timcanpy has much more tricks up his sleeves; he just wasn't aware of my abilities," Timcanpy perked up at my words. I released a small giggle at the large golem in my vision. Timcanpy really was a unique creature, and I just happened to be fortunate enough to have my own golem. As I thought such, a small figure behind father caught my attention.

"Tobi!" I greeted warmly towards the approaching winged creature. As I looked to Tobi, I noticed a figure approaching from behind his small form. As I tilted further to the side to see, I noticed the tall form of Reynaldo entering from the tree line, two suit cases in his grasp and a bag on his back. I couldn't hold back my cry of joy. "Uncle Rey!" I cried as I ran towards his figure. As I passed Tobi he clung to my coat, hitching a ride to my uncle's side.

"Niece!" Reynaldo cried as he sat down his suitcases and held his arms open. I gaily ran into his arms, squeezing his form as he squeezed back. He kissed the top of my head with a joyous laugh before he rubbed my head in an affectionate way. "Hey, next time you're leaving ahead of me, at least warn me about how much you pack! I'm not a pack-mule!"

I heard a chuckle originate behind me. "Sure you aren't, Rey, but thank you," Father appeared in my peripheral vision and reached down to grab one of the suitcases. He swung it over the opposite shoulder that the travel bag was on and smiled to Reynaldo and I. "I've learned a lot today about Alicia's innocence. It's parasitic and wind-oriented, and I don't understand how those two are connected, but I'm sure we can find out in the limited time we have. She can walk on the wind, manipulate it into a blade, and even make a gust of wind strong enough to blow you away. With enough practice, she may be able to form a real vacuum effect that can be very effective against Akuma, or even Noah,"

"This is good progress," Reynaldo said with a stern nod. "But I hope you didn't push her too hard,"

Father chuckled nervously. "O-of course not! She understands her innocence enough for me to feel the need to use Crown Clown, but it may have been more beneficial if_ I_ understood her innocence first,"

"That doesn't sound good…" I looked back to Reynaldo when I heard his worried tone. I smiled up to him and tapped my foot to the ground.

"There's no problem!" I cried excitingly.

"Yes…" Father murmured wearily as he stared at the toe that I taped on the ground. "She has this uncanny ability to regenerate her wounds. And I mean any wounds: the normal regeneration caused by parasitic innocence is typically the innocence in the body rejecting the poison from the Akuma, but… well, I guess now isn't the time to go over this,"

"I'll say," Reynaldo huffed with a small smile. There was a look in his eye that made me smile as well. It was strange; I felt as if I knew what he was thinking about. It seemed like he was remembering the first Akuma we faced together, where my injured leg healed in front of his eyes. At that moment, Reynaldo looked down to me and made eye contact. He ran his hand through my pigtail as he pulled the bag off his back with his small chuckle. I blinked as he handed it to me. "Here, niece. Your bag is really getting heavy… do you really need so much clothes?"

I nodded as I took the bag from his hands. "Well, I would like to keep all of them with me. They all have my memories with them," As I spoke, I thought back to the lovely lady name Leona who helped me start my journey; then to Reynaldo, who I found to be family, and would spoil and care for me with just as much love as my father would; then to the Order, where I met many people who I already held close to my heart. Yes, all my memories were in this bag. The clothes, the keep-sakes, the bag itself: there was no way to separate myself from them.

"I know how you feel," Father stated as he leaned down to my level. "But you know what, Alicia?" I tilted my head at my father's question. He grinned as he brushed my bangs out of my eyes. "You make more memories every day. They don't reside in inanimate objects, because they don't all take a physical form. They reside inside your heart,"- I blinked as father poked my chest-"where they can live forever,"

My heart began beating a million times per second. I couldn't help the gleeful smile that appeared on my face. I leaned forward to place a kiss on father's nose. Before he could respond, I raced across the field with Tobi flying by my side. I adjusted my bag on my shoulder as I ran, giggling excitedly as I raced away. As I made it to the other side of the field, I looked behind me to see Father and Reynaldo walking casually my way. They were speaking to one another, both looking relaxed and stern at the same time. I couldn't help but try to read their lips, to make out their words and be a part of what they were talking about. I knew I couldn't be a main part in their conversations for a while, with or without the promise of being kept involved; I was absolutely sure that they would continue the secrecy until absolutely necessary. I was fine with it to a point, but I did except any questions I asked to be answered.

And what needed to be answered? Many things. Why was father a wanted man? Why does the Order seem to have backwards feelings about him? What was he hiding from me? I wanted to know more about father; His innocence, his past, the people he knew and loved… And my Mother. That was the most important question. Who was she? Have I met her yet? Is she even alive?

Tobi bumped into my temple, causing me to shift my focus to the bronze golem next to me. He continued to bump into my head until I grabbed his tail, pulling him away from my head and into the palm of my hand. "What's wrong, Tobimaru?" Said Golem uncurled his tail and pointed behind me. I was unsure of what he meant, but I gazed in the direction nonetheless. I blinked at a figure that stood before me. It was a lean figure that was enshrouded by the dark cast that the trees provided. The head of spikey hair was tilted at an angle, and what seemed to be a dress outlined the obviously feminine figure. A small giggle emanated from the figure as it moved forward, towards the light that I stood in, and flicked its tongue out to lick its lips. "H-hello?" I called as I studied the dark features of the shadow. "Who is it?" I asked as its features became more apparent in the light. They were definitively feminine features, with an hour glass figure and creamy colored skin. She looked to be an early teen, the body size and structure being as they were. She had a sadistic smile across her lips as she moved closer to me, her white dress looking eerie in the light of dusk. She looked to me in a thoughtful way.

"Ah, so young," I subconsciously took a step back at the sound of her voice. At the same time, I was intrigued and genuinely captivated. With what familiarity she spoke with! It was so remarkably familiar, yet I couldn't understand where I heard her voice before. "They just keep getting younger and younger, don't they? Exorcists these days," Her sharp eyes pierced mine, and I felt my stomach jump and drop at the same time. Her pale face was visible, and her silky smooth skin shone in the fading light. She arched her delicate eyebrow at my form. "You'd think that they'd at least spare children," As she finally broke out of the tree line I took another step back, causing her to giggle loudly as she flicked her tongue across her lips again. "Well," She muttered as she eyed me sadistically. "It's a good thing that I don't have an issue with killing a child,"

I was completely speechless as I stared wide-eyed at the girl in front of me. She began to move her hands out from behind her back, and I flinched at the movement with fear of what was to come. "Alicia?" I heard father's distraught voice call from behind me. I was frozen solid. The girl ceased her movement at hearing father's voice, and a dazzling smile appeared on her face as she clasped her hands together. Though she faced me, she was no longer looking at me.

"Is that you, Allen?" She cried as she looked past my trembling form. I couldn't help but turn my head to look at father. He seemed frozen in place; his eyes wide and his mouth ajar as he stared forward. The girl in front of me let out a striking giggle. "I can't believe this! I'm so lucky to have found you! How long has it been? Ten years? Oh, how happy it makes me to have found my husband!"

I nearly fainted. "H-husband?" I cried incredulously. I turned back to father in disbelief to see that he didn't even seem to process the statement. After a moment, his face held a deadly pair of daggers.

"Oh Allen, this reunion as made me so happy," The girl cried as she wiped away a single tear from her eye, completely oblivious to the deadly glare father sent her way. She turned away from us, continuing to wipe away her tears as she took steps closer to the trees. "So very, very happy… now I can finally kill you,"

My eyes grew wide as spikes appeared from thin air and flew past my face towards my father and Reynaldo. I spun around in panic, praying that Father and Reynaldo were okay. All I saw was a flash of white. The spikes were deflected all around the field, and I gasped as I witnessed father racing forward. "Get away!" Father ordered as he approached the girl and I at flying speeds. I stood in petrified fear until I realized he was speaking to me. I obeyed, jumping to the side and rolling across the ground. I heard the sound of clashing, and a sadistic giggle behind me. "Timcanpy, get her out of here!" Father cried out. I didn't see Timcanpy, nor did I wait for him. I quickly regained my footing and made to run into the woods, to find some sort of shelter as I knew my father would want, only to stop dead in my tracks. A childlike giggle resonated through the air as an angel moved towards me; at least, that was my first impression of the creature. It was fully white, with transparent wings and a large, glowing halo above its bald head. It had humanlike appearances, but something about that smiling face made my skin crawl. Pale skin that seemed so smooth, but had its strange wrinkles in its folds of skin. It was such a beautiful contradiction in my childish eyes. It opened its mouth, and I almost felt thrilled to think that I could hear the creature speak. I didn't notice Tobimaru trying to obtain my attention. I didn't even notice the scope that appeared before my eyes. I wouldn't notice until I heard father's despairing screams. "-licia! Alicia, run!"

I saw the creature's mouth glowing an abnormal greenish-blue. As I processed my father's words I gathered my wits and jumped out of the way as a beam of light obliterated the place I once stood. I rolled back to my feet to see that it originated from the creatures open mouth, from that strange glowing light. The childlike laugh appeared again as it turned to face me, and I saw a steaming barrel of a gun in the mouth of the angel. The gear/scope that appeared before my eyes directed my attention to the glowing form above said 'angel'. My eyes grew wide as I gazed upon the soul. I couldn't hold onto my stomach. I turned to the side and heaved out its contents. "Wha… what?" I muttered as I felt myself become light as a feather, and wind began rushing against my face. A flash of light appeared before me, and I shielded my eyes as I moved away, yet my legs were not moving.

"Damn level four!" I looked up to see the tan face of my uncle as he raced across the field with me in his arms and Timcanpy by his side. Another explosion sounded and he rolled with me still in his arms. Tobimaru crawled into my sleeve to hide as Timcanpy daringly flew straight towards the Akuma. Reynaldo stopped slightly in a kneeled position to catch his breath, looking at me quickly as he did so. "You can see it, can't you? The soul of the Akuma," I was still in shock from what I had just witnessed. What had I just seen? Reynaldo called it a level 4… do they truly go to that high of a level? Do they continue on from that? I wasn't completely sure, but I found that I nodded absentmindedly at his words. His face seemed to pale at the knowledge that he had just received. He swallowed down a lump in his thought as he jumped forwards. My eyes grew wide when the place we rested blew apart. We were once again racing across the field. "I thoughts so… I thought I was mistaken, but it's true. You're just like your father,"

My eyes grew wide at Reynaldo's words. Just like my father? Had he gone mad? Father did not have this dreadful device that appeared before my eyes. It was just a part of my innocence, a part of my being… but was it really? I nearly climbed over Reynaldo's shoulder to search for my father, to get one good look at his face. As I looked behind Reynaldo's shoulder, I found myself face to face with large brown eyes. "Hello!" was the cry of the Akuma as it drew its arm back in what was undoubtfully a dreadful attack. I screamed as I hid my face in Reynaldo's shoulder, but before the Akuma could deliver the blow, it was knocked to the side by a giant sword. I gasped as I watched father chase the Level four Akuma. He lunged at the Akuma, which dodged his attacks gracefully with the use of its wings. Reynaldo jumped into the bushes and we both became prone as father distracted the Akuma. Timcanpy returned to us as Tobi wiggled out of my sleeve and crawled to my face. I grabbed his small form and put him in my jacket once again; I did not want him to be drawn into the situation. I looked at father carefully, inspecting every aspect of him. Upon my father's left eye was the same apparatus that hovered over mine. There was only one answer to this: It was true. He could see the Akuma's souls as well.

Images flooded my memories at that moment. I remembered the hologram of my father, were the scope appeared before his left eye right before the building behind him exploded. I suddenly remembered Lavi, and his explanation of a friend who 'had the ability to see the souls'. With my personal experience with this ability, I came to know it was both helpful and hindering. It was a heavy load, one that weighed me down, yet kept me special. It all made sense now.

That was the curse that everyone spoke of.

A sinister laugh radiated through the air. "Oh, come on, Allen? Play with me a little! It's been so long! Play! Dance! Jump! Cry! Laugh! _Play_!" I looked into the sky to see the girl in white standing upon a clear dice cube in the sky. I watched in awe as her features darkened before my eyes. Strange black markings appeared across her forehead as she gazed at father with eyes that seemed to contradict themselves with both love and malice. She moved into a laying position, kicking her feet in the air playfully as she watched father jump back to avoid the fists of the level four Akuma.

I shook my head forcefully as the Akuma entered my view, forcing my strange gears to disappear from my sight. I could not bear the sight of the creature's mangled soul. It burned my heart, and I felt the burn spread across my body. Reynaldo suddenly stood on his feet and reached into his pocket. "Get down!" He called as he threw something across the field. I saw a small metal object fly across the sky. I was marveled by its appeal and barely noticed Reynaldo mutter. "Damn, undershot it-" I didn't know what that object was, but I thrusted out my arms to give the object more distance. It landed at father's feet, and with an almost devilish smirk I saw him lung to the side whilst his coat covered his body. The Akuma's attack led him right above the object. Before I could see the result, I was covered head to toe by Reynaldo's form. All I heard was the sound of a devastated cry of pain.

I look up from the ground to see half of the Akuma's body covered in blood. It growled menacingly, glaring upon the bushes that Reynaldo and I hid in with murderous intentions. Before it could move to pursuit, a blade rushed through its gut. Father held the grip of his blade firmly as he tried to rip it in an upwards motion, but the appearance of spiked candles against his face caused him to freeze. "Don't you dare," the girl appeared behind father. Timcanpy raced towards father protectfully, but she simply shooed away Timcanpy as she wrapped her arms around his neck and rubbed her cheek against his. "Why must you always play mean? Can you not tell that I love you?" My eyes flashed with anger as I witnessed her brushing her lips across my father's ear. "I haven't aged a day, see? I'm still the woman that you loved before,"

My eyes zoomed to father, my mind in chaos at her words. A sneer appeared on father's face. "Love? I don't recall that feeling towards you, Road,"

"Oh, hush now! You're just exhausted from all that playing!" Her face held a small pout which soon turned into a seductive smile. "I have made sure a long time ago that I would be your only girl. Do you remember?" She giggled once again, her hand running down his right shoulder and across his arm. "Here, be a dear and let my favorite Akuma go free," She cooed as she moved her hands around father's, causing his to tighten his grip further.

"I think not. This Akuma's soul deserves salvation,"

I was frankly surprised at the almost casually course of their conversation. It was as if they were old friends playfully disagreeing with each other. Of course, I knew better than to suspect that father was ever friends with that girl. He was merely playing along, most likely to buy time. But looking back, as I laid in the bushes in cold sweat, I could have been lying to myself.

The girl called Road glared at father so hatefully that I thought she was done playing. "If anything, you should be thanking Sniffer! He-"

"S-snif-?" Never before had I seen such a panicked and petrified look upon my father's face. I felt Reynaldo's arms around me tighten and pull me closer to his side. I looked up to Reynaldo in my confusion. He was in a cold sweat, and I could feel his heart pounding from his chest. I looked back to see Road lifting an eyebrow peculiarly at my father's expression, and soon another evil laugh radiated across the air.

"Does he still give you nightmares, Allen? Even at the blade of your sword? Do you often replay that time over and over again, as if you were actually present for it? Yes, he is that Akuma you met many years ago. At level two you met, at level three he purged your every love and belief, and at level four he hangs on your sword, but you just can't kill him, can you?" throughout her speech, I expected father to go through with it, to kill the Akuma that hung off his sword: he never did. Road ran her hand through my father's hair, her mouth dangerously close to his neck as she breathed deeply in his ear. She seductively twisted her fingers in his hair as she continued. "That's why you'll let go of my precious Akuma, Allen. He is my favorite because he has fulfilled my every dream with his power. And I'd like to think that he prevented your life from being oh-so miserable," The silence from my father continued as Road placed a kiss upon his cheek. I made to jump up, to claw my way over to that woman and tear her apart with my bare hands, but Reynaldo held me too tight to move. And Father remained silent, even as the Akuma screeched out words in pain…

"_Fear!.. Isolation!... Turmoil!... Devastation!... Anxiety!... Panic!..._"

Road giggled as she turned her back on Allen and leaned against his back, running her hands along his waist and up his back. "His sense of smell as improved, hasn't it? He can smell the hormones that leak out of your pours, and can narrow them down to an emotion. Even from far distances, as long as the trail in not hindered,"

"_Anger!... Hatred!... Confusion!... Worry!..._"

At that moment Reynaldo's eyes were widening. He wrapped his arms around me and picked me up, attempting to run away when the Akuma cried out once again.

"_Adrenaline!... Alarm!... Panic!..."_

"Allen!" Reynaldo cried desperately. Father's eyes flashed with something I couldn't understand. He drove his sword upwards, once again strengthening the pained filled cries of the level four Akuma. Road's eyes flashed with revulsion. She disappeared, and the spikes shot towards father. Instinct took over me. I broke out of Reynaldo's arms and was halfway to my father, but my actions were unneeded. Father was long out of the way before the spikes it. The blade was covered in blood, but the Akuma was not yet defeated. It hovered just above the ground, holding its bleeding stomach just as Road appeared behind it.

"A bit touchy, are we?" She giggled at father's intensified glare. "Sniffer, find what he so desperately wants to hide,"

_**/O\**_

_It was nearly eight pm. Everyone from the mansion was out searching for Cilicia by that time. Before Allen joined the search, he nonchalantly looked at the paper that Cilicia had slipped into his pocket. It read 'Behind the giant organ in the church'. Sure enough, as he went with Link and Lenalee to scout out the church, she was there. Allen looked upon her form; she was huddled in the fetal position, looking small and vulnerable as she shivered from the cold air. She looked up suddenly once she realized she was being watched, but soon calmed down as she saw Allen's face. Allen smiled at her, but frowned once he heard her stomach growl. Allen mentally slapped himself. She left before she could eat. He would have to bring food to her later. Allen took a deep breath as he regained his panicked state and turned back to his companions, speaking with the same urgency as they did. "She's not behind the Piano!"_

"_That's an organ, Walker!" Link corrected, but he did not double check Allen. Allen continued to search around with Lenalee and Link, trying his best to keep up his energy. He made sure that he made it obvious of his search around the organ so that they wouldn't feel the need to search there. As they left, Allen noticed Link's harsh glare towards him, as if he believed it was all Allen's fault. _

_He wouldn't know how true that was._

_Around midnight everyone returned home, completely broken down and exhausted. Reynaldo was practically crying at that point, murmuring about his lack of care and love. Lenalee would keep him company as much as she could, since she had experience dealing with upset older brothers. Allen overheard the whispering from the employees of the mansion, and of the how they could understand the rebellious child running away. As things slowly began to quiet down, Allen sighed; though he tried his best to keep on his mask of guilt and panic, he couldn't help but be satisfied that the plan was working so well._

_Yes, Allen realized that the plan was working well, but he also knew that it would be suspicious of him to stay around the mansion when he could work in a few more hours of searching. He decided it was also the perfect excuse to bring Cilicia something to eat. He sneaked into the kitchen, grabbing any fruit or other easily transportable food, and left the mansion to 'continue his search'._

_Allen walked down the dimly lit streets towards the Church. It seemed almost fitting for their plan, being that the town seemed especially ominous at night. It makes sense that people would think that she was abducted. Allen felt the need to be on guard, knowing that the same level 2 Akuma that had gotten away could easily still be nearby. Yes, Allen felt guilty for putting Cilicia in this dangerous situation, being that Akuma have targeted her in the past and will target her more in the future. But at the same time, it seemed to be the right choice. How could he face Lenalee without this? How could he explain it to his friends? They wouldn't understand. They would just… despise him. He felt that they already despised him in the first place, being that the 14th Noah was inside of him. It meant he was evil… He was different._

_These are the excuses that played through Allen Walker's mind. He didn't believe them either._

_Allen finally made it to the Church. Once he felt confident that he hadn't been followed, he walked inside quietly. He slowly made his way towards the organ, knowing better than to rush his way to it. He slowly peeked behind the organ, seeing Cilicia holding her knees close to her chest. Allen smiled softly at her form. "Hey," He whispered gently. Cilicia's head snapped up and she stared at him with wide eyes. Once she saw him, her face slowly grew a smile. Allen sat next to the wall, pulling out fruit wrapped in small towels from his pockets. Cilicia instantly reached out and shoved her face into an apple. Allen chuckled slightly as he began to peal an orange. "I'm sorry... I forgot that you hadn't ate lunch before you left,"_

_It was silent as Cilicia gnawed on her apple. Allen began to think that she wouldn't speak to him, that she was either too scared to be caught or frustrated from lack of food. He placed the pealed orange next to Cilicia, who took it and began breaking it off into sections. She looked to Allen at that moment, her eyes lingering on his face delicately before she held out a piece of the orange. "It's okay," She muttered with a small smile. Allen took the piece of orange and watched as she devoured her portion. She smiled at him and he finally placed his piece into his mouth. Allen then took off his uniform jacket and draped it around Cilicia's form. Cilicia giggled lightly, a blush forming on her face as Allen leaned back to smile at her properly. She pulled his jacket around her closer, relieved in the warmth of the fabric. Cilicia then took to looking at Allen without his jacket. She had not seen him without his uniform for most of the allowed time she had with him. In fact, the only time she must have seen him without it was… Cilicia hid her blush as she spoke again. "D…do you have another apple?"_

"_Yeah, sure," Allen said as he reached for the small pile of fruit. His hand hesitated, being that his eyes could not detect the second apple he had acquired. The sound of a distinct crunch caused Cilicia to jolt in her spot. Allen's eyes shot directly towards the front of the church, seeing something that enraged him to his very core._

"_Hello, boy," called the distinct tongue of a familiar man. Allen couldn't believe his eyes. Sitting comfortably in the round stained-glass window that rested above the entrance of the church, was none other than Tyki Mikk. Allen glared harshly at the Noah, moving into a defensive stance. Tyki began to chuckle as he took another bite of the apple. "You don't have to look so hateful. I'm not here to fight,"_

_Allen scuffed at Tyki's words. Before he could properly retort, Allen heard whimpering to his right. His eyes drifted to Cilicia, who was once again in the fetal position. She held onto her knees, fear radiating from her eyes. Allen's eyes became wide instantly. He turned back to Tyki. "You!" He snarled in disgust, catching Tyki off guard. Allen stepped forward, but restrained himself from attacking Tyki on the spot. "You're the one who attacked Lady Cilicia!"_

_Tyki blinked at Allen, alarm and shock written on his face. "Lady Cilicia? Oh, you mean the young Spanish lady!" Tyki smirked as he slid out of the window, landing gracefully on the floor. He slipped his hands into his pocket as he slowly made his way towards Allen. "Indeed. Orders are orders, Allen Walker. You should know that," _

_Allen glared at Tyki. He had no right to say such a thing to him. Everything he did was for the sake of human kind. The Order was there to help him remember his goal. Allen's orders were to protect Cilicia from any Akuma, or Noah, that have the will to hurt her. That was exactly what he was going to do. "You should leave here," Allen scoffed. "I might just kill you,"_

_Tyki smirked at Allen's words. "I guess you have hearing loss, Allen Walker. I'm not here to fight you,"_

_Allen raised an eyebrow at the Noah. Tyki had always been the odd one; one who hung out with human kind, worked with them, gambled with them… Allen would have nearly called him his friend if he spent more time with him on the train. And it shocked him to his very core to find out that the Noah who destroyed his innocence and made a hole in his heart would be the same man who he played a friendly (if that's what you would call it) game of poker with. And he had strange qualities about him. He was always mischievous, always dealing in the shadows. Allen never knew what to expect from him. He scanned Tyki skeptically, and before he could speak he heard another whimper from behind the organ. His heart clenched at that moment. How cruel would it be to talk casually to the man who tried to take Cilicia's life in front of her? No, he couldn't… but Allen could see something in Tyki's eyes. Something that made Allen genuinely intrigued. After a moment, Allen came to a compromise._

"_If you're going to speak, make it fast… and stay on the other side of the room," Allen ordered as he moved closer to the row of pews in front of him. Tyki's eyes brightened at Allen's words. He made to step forward, but stopped short once he saw the glare on Allen's face. He cleared his throat as he tugged at the collar that fit closely around his neck._

"_I have come to make a deal with you, Allen Walker,"_

_Allen immediately became more skeptical. "A deal?" he asked incredulously. "You're not serious…"_

"_I am," Tyki muttered, "It's not really a deal. It's more of a… a partnership, if you will," Tyki walked over to a pew and leaned against it. "I have come to you feeling that you would be the only one who would understand. With your predicament, I'm sure you have slight understanding my… emotions,"_

_Allen stared at Tyki incredulously. He didn't know what to make of Tyki's words. Allen shook his head. "I don't… What are you talking about?"_

_On Tyki's face was a small smile. He pulled at his gloves thoughtfully before he spoke again. "I feel that I am not welcomed in the Noah clan. The Millennium Earl has said many times that my inner Noah hasn't fully awakened… Even after you ran your sword through me," Tyki looked back to Allen, his features revealing his unease. Allen looked to Tyki curiously, patiently waiting for him to continue. Tyki gave a drawn out sigh. "They treat me as if I am lower than them. I have done nothing of importance… mostly dog work, which they would usually send Level 1 Akuma to do," Tyki lifted his head, looking to Allen with eyes filled with despair. He contradicted that look when he gave a wry smile. "I am not an adequate Noah,"_

_Allen blinked in shock at Tyki. "What?" _

_Tyki chuckled lightly, a light smirk on his face. "I know. Confusing, isn't it? But that is not the point. I… I believe that you would understand this feeling. Has Neah gotten between you and your… family?"_

"_N-Neah? Who's Neah?" Allen muttered in shock. Tyki lifted an eyebrow at Allen's form, and just by that look he already knew. "The… 14th?" Allen whispered to himself more than Tyki. It was a strange sensation to finally fit a name behind the face. But then again, he had not truly seen the face of the 14th either. Allen's eyes traveled to the dark windows that lined the church walls. Behind the reflection of himself, Allen saw that dark figure that he had grown used to over the past year or so. It was the musician, the 14th… Neah. "Yes…" Allen muttered to his reflection, seeing the smile on the figure's face widen. "I understand,"_

_Tyki's expression became curious and slightly excited. A small smirk appeared on his face. "Yes… The way you feel around the exorcists' is the same way I feel around my family. They are family, but they seem to look past you and almost despise you… though you have no clue what you did wrong,"_

_Allen nodded his head in agreement, taking his eyes away from the window and back to Tyki. "Why are you talking to me about this?" Allen asked, his eyes beginning to narrow. "What does this have to do with a partnership?"_

_Tyki smirked at Allen's words, looking to him in his typical smug way. Allen despised that look, but at the same time he could still see that strange look in Tyki's eyes. Tyki chuckled lightly. "We are much alike. I figured… we must have the same goals,"_

"_What are you getting at? Just because I feel as if the Order has its issues with me… I mean…" Allen mumbled to himself, unsure of where this conversation was headed. Tyki nodded his head slowly, a look of understanding on his face. Allen cleared his throat. "I don't plan on anarchy. We do not have the same goals,"_

_Tyki slowly smirked to Allen, his eyes growing wide with anticipation. "You're wrong, though," He said, a sly chuckle escaping his lips. "You do want anarchy. You just don't know it," Allen glared at Tyki. Never would he ever dream of anarchy against the order. He was beginning to believe that Tyki was going insane. Before he could speak, a sinister chuckle was heard. Allen's eyes darted around him, searching for the source of the sinister laugh. His eyes graced across the window for a split second, but he immediately turned back to it, his eyes wide with shock. The figure in the window was the source of the laughter. It's chest moved equally with the sound that radiated through Allen's ears. Tyki snickered, a wide smile on his face. "He's laughing, isn't he?" Allen's head snapped back to Tyki, his eyes widened in shock. Tyki nodded his head. "You want anarchy… though anarchy isn't the correct word. It's more of a coup d'état… and not against the order, but against the Noah's,"_

"_Are you insane?" Allen shrieked. "I mean, yeah I want that, but… You make it seem as if I was a part of the Noah, as if I'm going to take them down from the inside…"_

"_I have thought of such a thing," Tyki murmured, lifting his hat off his head and running his hand through his dark curls. "You are already considered part of the family; they just believe that they have to convince you otherwise. So, if you choose to follow them for the sake of this plan, be my guest," Allen narrowed his eyes at Tyki, giving him a sinister glare that spoke for him. Tyki nodded. "I thought so… Well, I thought of doing it myself, of pulling strings and trying to disrupt what little order we have in our family, but then I realized… It would be so much more __**convenient**__ to have someone on the side of the Black Order aiding me… working with me to pull the strings. I thought no one could do a better job than you,"_

"_And that would mean I would be betraying the Order," It was strange to Allen how his words didn't seem as distasteful as he thought they would be. He bit his lip subtly, wonder pulsing through his body. "Why would you want this, Tyki? Why won't you just speak to your family, try to understand what's causing your distances…?"_

_Tyki looked to Allen questionably. His eyes curiously looked over Allen, lifting an eyebrow in a slightly skeptical manor. "Why don't you?"_

_Allen blinked at Tyki's small sentence. Why didn't he? Because he knew the problem. Inside of him was the 14th Noah, a Noah of unknown power. It made him dangerous, a threat to the Order. People were afraid to go near him, afraid of what the Noah inside of him would do…_

_But that didn't necessarily mean that he couldn't speak to his friends, to work it out. He could have at many times asked them their opinions, or at least tried to understand his comrades' fears. Yes, he knew they were afraid, even if they tried to hide it, but he could have at least tried to convince them. In a way, he was no different than Tyki. But Allen looked to Tyki with a skeptical look. His reasons were different than Allen's, but something told Allen it wasn't completely selfish._

_That's when Allen saw it. The strange look in Tyki's eyes suddenly made sense. Allen lowered his head in an almost respectable way, gaining a confused glance from Tyki. Allen couldn't move. He couldn't find the right words to say. He finally understood the emotion behind those eyes of his. Allen chuckled, though it was entirely void of humor in any way. "You're eyes…" Allen muttered just loud enough to reach Tyki's ears. "You're hurt… They're dead, aren't they?"_

_Tyki's eyes grew wide at Allen's words. Allen slowly lifted his head to reveal eyes full of sorrow. Allen's silvery blue eyes matched Tyki's cream orbs at that moment. Tyki blinked hard as he slowly nodded his head. "Yes… they are," Tyki's right hand went to his face, covering most of his features as he continued speaking. "They thought it was fun… killing my 'human pets.' Damn them!" Tyki slammed his hand against the pew, the sounds echoing across the church as Allen watched in awe. "Eeez… He was just a child. He was a smart kid, too. They killed him… slowly…" Allen studied the face of the Noah in front of him. His features revealed heartbreak, his eyes wild and nearly filling over with tears. Allen gulped for a moment, unsure of how to react to Tyki's sudden outburst. Tyki's eyes darted to Allen, holding onto his stare for a moment before he tried to compose himself. Tyki cleared his throat. "I… I can't refer back to my human form very easily. Not since the day you tried to exorcise me. I hadn't seen them in so long, so I called them to check in. The others overheard and… they __**laughed**__ at me. They called me weak because I still cared for the humans. I tried to pass it off as nothing, saying that I didn't care and that it was just to keep them from searching for me. They took that into consideration and…"_

_It was silent for a while after that. Allen studied Tyki as he tried to pull himself together. It was strange to see him in such a way. Allen was almost sure that his first attempt to exorcise Tyki was a failure, that it just had the opposite effect and awakened his Noah. But at that moment, as Allen stared at the Noah in front of him, he saw that maybe it did have some affect. Allen slowly nodded. "Okay," He muttered, causing Tyki to lift his head in confusion. "I'll… think about it. But on two conditions,"_

"_Really?" Tyki asked, moving his sleeves across his face. Allen could see the excitement rising in his eyes. "What is that?"_

_Allen was going to speak when he noticed movement behind him. He turned to see Cilicia peeking out from behind the organ, confusion written on her face. Allen smiled at her, hoping that she would trust him enough to allow him to do this. Allen turned back to Tyki, the smile still lingering on his face. "You understand that I have to gain your trust first. I'm also going to ask you something… it's very important," Tyki nodded in understanding. Allen took in a deep breath. "First one… I need you to keep Road away from Lady Cilicia at all cost,"_

"_Allen…" Cilicia muttered in awe. Allen peeked at her form the corner of his eye, his smile still apparent on his face. Tyki gave a firm nod._

"_Understood," Tyki confirmed, a slight smile on his face. "The second?"_

"_Yes… Tell me what you know about Cilicia's… predicament,"_

_**/O\**_

I sat in the large red sofa in Komui's office, holding the small velvet box in my grasp. Yes, it was velvet, and traditionally that would mean…

"A secret letter hidden in Allen's room, of course we would never find it! Even I wouldn't think that he would hide something in his room; how risky, how scandalous! To sneak back to the most dangerous place possible for him, only to deliver a letter to my precious Lenalee-" Komui slammed his hands on his desk. "Will you please let me read that letter, Lenalee?" I looked up to see Komui shaking behind his desk, his eyes glistening as he pleaded to me. You could see the frustration radiating from his form. I reacted into my pocket to feel the slip of paper that resided there. Should I allow him to read it? Just the other day I found out that Komui didn't despise Allen, and that Komui was well aware of how far Allen and I's relationship reached. But I would not let him read this letter, this personal message meant for my eyes alone. I slowly shook my head to Komui, increasing his despair as he sat down and fidgeted with his work. Neither of us spoke for a long time.

The door to the office opened slowly. I lifted my eyes to see Kanda slowly slip in and close the door behind him. He cautiously eyed Komui as he made his way towards me. "I told the stupid rabbit," he muttered as he sat next to me, his eyes finally meeting mine. "He is… disappointed that you will not release the contents of the letter. He also pleads for this to be kept secret from 'two-dots',"

I nodded my head as I ran my finger across the box in my hand. From my peripheral vision I noticed Kanda eyeing the box, his eyes just as skeptical as everyone else who laid eyes on my token. Did he think it was dangerous for me to keep this in my grasp? Was it a bad omen, a cursed possession? I didn't believe so. In fact, I was quite sure it was the opposite. It was a gift, and the miracle that I had been asking for. My fingers ached as I traced the entrance to the box. Oh, how I longed to know that dark secret that hid within its contents. But I could not open this box, not until I found Allen. And I had every intention of finding him. I lifted my head, straightening my posture as I faced Komui fully. "Komui," I stated in a calm commanding voice. He looked up to me, his eyes revealing hope that would be for naught. I stood up from my seat, looking Komui dead in the eye. "I request permission to go search for General Allen Walker, full-time,"

Komui's eyes became widened at my voice, as did Kanda's dark orbs. They stared at me incredulously, but it did not matter to me. I had stated my wish, and I demanded it to be granted. Komui's eye's flashed with something that I didn't quite understand. He stood up abruptly. "Absolutely not, Lenalee!"

I was taken aback. I had expected resistance, but not one as blatant as such. "W-why?" was the only thing I could ask as I stared into the windows of Komui's soul. A strange blankness replaced the flash of emotion that had taken him over as he held onto my stare. He broke the eye contact as he shook his head and sat down, raising his hand to his head in an exhausted manor. He would not speak, and I was left in a traumatic confusion until Kanda placed his hand on my arm and guided me to my seat.

"There is a danger with you openly searching for him. You'll become a target for Akuma and Noah, being that they may believe that you will lead them to him as well. The Akuma sightings have been scarce, which could serve as a warning that the real war is beginning, and that they are preparing for it. Komui is thinking of your safety, which he finds to be much more important than a letter from Beansprout,"

I blinked at Kanda for a moment before I grabbed his hand. "So you'll come with me, Kanda?" Kanda raised an eyebrow at me. I slowly smiled at him. "Yeah, Kanda can come with me-"

"It's not only that," Komui murmured under his breath just loud enough to intervene. Komui lifted his head, staring at us in a way that I had never seen before. "What if whatever that letter says is now void with time? We have no clue when he left it and if it still has meaning. What if the secret in the box could lead to something about him joining the-" Komui paused, not daring to finish the statement. I don't know what caused Komui to stop speaking, but as soon as he did the walls shook, and a desperate cry originated from the hall. Kanda ran to the door, gone before I could utter a single word. Komui rose from his seat, but instantaneously the phone that lay on his desk began to ring. He reached for the phone, but hesitated as another scream filled the halls of the Order. I slipped my box into my pocket and followed Kanda out the door.

As I entered the hall, Kanda was nowhere to be seen. The halls were crowded as exorcists and finders rushed to what was apparently the source of the cries. I heard their panicked reports about 'an attack' and 'a Noah invasion'. I felt my heart completely stop. No. Not here. Not in my home. Was it even possible? For so long I had believed that we were finally safe, but then again, that's what I thought about the first HQ. I felt tears welling up in my eyes as I made to activate my innocence, to race ahead of the rookies and fight for the life of the only family I had, but I felt a hand on my shoulder. I spun around to see Komui grimacing down to me. I clenched my teeth, apprehensive of what he had to say.

"Your orders are to meet with Inspector Link," Komui ordered just loud enough to hear over the panicked cries that surrounded us. Yet after he spoke it seemed that the world was silent. I blinked at Komui in surprise as he continued. "Outside of the London; a finder reports strange phenomenon and resent explosions-"

"What about what's happening here?" I asked as I witnessed Collin and Monica silently race by, they lips moving and forming words that I did not hear. Somehow I knew they were calling out for the medical team to prepare for patients. Adrenaline rushed through my body as I witnessed the tears in Collin's eyes. Collin never cried. I looked up to Komui, anxious to move and protect, as were my only actions that I knew anymore. How could he possibly tell me to deal with a petty Akuma report when the Order was in such chaos? I nearly chose to ignore his words and join the fray when I felt him wrap his arms around me tightly. I jumped with a start, taken aback by his sudden unusual reaction, but was also comforted as I was completely engulfed in the warmth that surrounded me.

"Your permission has been granted, Lenalee. You can go search for Allen. You can do nothing but that, if it's what you want…"

My eyes became wide at his words. "Komui?" I gasped as I felt the tears that lingered in my eyes finally fall. An emotion in me that I hadn't felt in a long time stirred. I grasped Komui's arms. "Is it Allen? Is that what you're trying to say?" I felt Komui nod. I began to tremble in disbelief. I wanted to believe, yet could I trust myself with it? Could my heart hold up to this new hope that swelled in me? "No… how could you be sure?"

"It's him, Lenalee," Komui pulled me back, looking into my eyes behind the shine of his glasses. "Why else would Link be going himself?" I felt myself nod to his words. All I needed was a small push to feel in my heart that they must be true. I was weak, and tortured by this glorious feeling that engulfed me. Would Komui ever lie to me in such a way? Would he put me through this pain intentionally? My brother couldn't possibly do that. Komui smiled at me, drying more of my tears before they could fall over my already wet cheeks. "We'll handle things here,"

I nodded firmly, turning my back against my brother as I raced against the current of the crowd. When I felt that my feet were not moving as fast as I had wanted them to, my innocence warped around my legs and I raced across the heads of my fellow exorcists. Not until I reached what was to be considered the exit, where we wound take a shortcut through the Ark to a small building in London, did I let my innocence deactivate. I witnessed Link running to the door and grasp the handle in his hand. "Link!" I called, obtaining his attention as I raced to his side.

"Ah, Lenalee! A strange, yet perfectly understandable choice," Link called as he threw open the door. "Leverrier is waiting for us. He requires our assistance,"

I asked no questions, though I knew I should have. Questions like why Leverrier was present and why would he ask for a crow and an exorcist as his assistants, maybe even a question about what Link meant when he greeted me, but it never crossed my mind.

Not until later would I find out that Komui did lie to me. He had no idea whether or not this call was connected to Allen; all he knew was that he wanted me out of HQ. Link had presented a damage report to Komui; but he as gave the order for all Exorcists to report to fight, he also asked for assistance in the field.

Komui sent me with Link to get me away from the mass chaos developing in the training area; Three giant Akuma with five level fours were attacking with reports of a Noah in the vicinity. Five were announced dead instantly. One was a scientist, three were finders, and the last was an exorcist. That exorcist's name was An.

_**/O\**_

Father lunged forward with his blade as the level four Akuma prepared to take a deep breath. I glared at said Akuma as I felt the wind that surrounded him begin to move towards his nostrils. I would not allow him to move my wind without my permission. My chest burned as I willed the air to be still. Though we could still breathe it, the wind would not be moved with such force behind his inhale.

The Akuma's eyes snapped open just before father could land his attack, and he dodged it just as easily as he did when he was completely unharmed. Father's blade changed direction with movements as smooth as silk, slashing to his left only to barely miss the neck of the Akuma. With the wings the Akuma possessed, it flew into the sky to inhale once again, and I could have sworn I saw a fire burning in father's eyes. In a brilliant flash of white he was in the air with the Akuma, white cloak of innocence supporting him in the air in a marveling fashion. I was amazed at the brilliance of the battle that took place in the sky, with the flashing of father's sword in the twilight against the blur of the Akuma's movements. A truly breathtaking and disturbing battle indeed.

"Come on, Alicia!" Reynaldo begged as he tugged on my arm. Timcanpy hovered behind him frantically, urging me to follow as well. I shook my head and pulled my arm back, completely taken in by the scene in front of me. I heard Reynaldo growl in frustration. "At least jump back in the bushes!" I allowed him to tug me back slightly. I witnessed the Akuma hold out his arm, and was aghast at the sound of bullets flying through the air. A smile appeared on my face when Father's coat morphed around him to protect him from the bullets. Reynaldo became fed up with me. He picked me up and ducked into the bushes. He motioned for me to follow him through the brush, to which I begrudgingly obeyed. That is, until I heard Road speak again.

"Sniffer~" Road sang as impatience became apparent on her features. "What is taking so long?~"

The Akuma did a nose dive, slashing against father's innocence as he plummeted down to earth. Father lost his balance in the air, but he did not fall without grace as he willingly fell forward. Father used the momentum to drive a head-on attack to the Akuma. I witnessed father's sword barely grazing the Akuma before they hit the ground.

A mushroom cloud appeared at the area of impact. As the dust began to clear, you could see father's sword nearly plunged into the gut of the Akuma, but the Akuma remained alive as he pushed back against the sword. I imagined the blade would have been painful driving into the palm of the Akuma's hand, but it pushed back with all its force nonetheless. "I can't-!" The Akuma cried as father applied more pressure. A scream radiated across the horizon.

Road walked up to father and the Akuma, staring down with slightly bored features. She kneeled next to the Akuma, her arms resting on her knee's as she looked down on the Akuma. "What is it, Sniffer?" Her voice sounded indifferent to the situation, striking me as completely odd.

"_I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't!"_

The Akuma cried over and over as father continued to add more pressure. I peeked my head out from behind the bushes, staring upon the scene in front of me. Road slowly stood up from the head of the Akuma. Slowly a smirk appeared on her face. "Sniffer can't find what you're hiding," Road lifted her head, her eyes landing directly on me. I froze immediately as a large smile appeared on Road's face. "You will not kill Sniffer, Allen," I blinked at Road. Within that one blink she was no longer in front of me. I felt the touch of ice against my neck as long arms wrapped around my shoulders. From the corner of my eye I could see the creamed colored eyes that belonged to Road next to me. Fear shot through my spine, and I became immobilized by its strong power. "Because if you do, I'll kill this little girl,"

"No!" father shrieked, his eyes filling with immense terror. His grip on his sword tightened as his form began to shake. "N-no…"

What was I to do? The Akuma couldn't find what father was hiding, whatever it was that he was hiding, and now I was the bait… Panic washed over me. I wished to aid father, but I couldn't put my finger on what was causing this mass confusion. I blinked forcefully. '_Think_!' I ordered myself. I slowly opened my eyes and found myself distracted by the dim light that radiated from my chest. Then it hit me. It was me. I was what stopped it. And that was the reason I would get out of this alive. My innocence was masking everything in the vicinity once I made the air stagnant, so even as Akuma breathed, it couldn't smell what it was looking for. As long as my innocence was working, father wouldn't have to kill the Akuma.

And that was just the thing; he wouldn't have to choose between saving me and keeping his secret.

But how was I supposed to let him know that? If I spoke, then Road would surely kill me to find the secret. Then I thought of an idea. A soothing action; One that puts anyone at peace of mind. It did so earlier today, as father and I sat in the field without a care in the world. I kept the air around me stagnant, but I willed a gentle and cool breeze to brush against father's face. His white bangs tickled his cheek, causing him to shiver in awe. He was still for a moment as he looked to me, staring deep into my eyes. I found myself smiling at him and I was full of relieve as his eyes suddenly turned cool. "Alright, Road, alright. If you don't hurt her, I'll let the Akuma go,"

My shoulders became vacant of Roads arms and her form suddenly hovered above us all. "Excellent! You are always so generous with us, Allen. I'm sure that means that you're warming up to us!" Father nearly snarled as he slowly retracted his blade from the palms and gut of the Akuma, an agonizing scream radiated from said creature as he did so. When the sword was completely out of the body of the Akuma, a sinister snicker emanated from Road. She did not cease laughing, not until the form above us faded into nothing. "Silly Allen!" Roads voice echoed across the field. The voice came from nowhere in particular, yet it seemed to have come from everywhere. Father's eyes became wide. Instinct caused him to turn to me. "Did you forget that I came here to kill the girl?"

I was suddenly trapped. I heard the muffled sound of Reynaldo calling out to me as I found myself trapped in the clear cube that Road had been standing on before. I gasped as I was raised into the sky, and the devastated look on my father's face caused my heart to drop to my stomach. What was going to happen to me? I banged against the walls frantically, feeling the familiar burning of my chest begin to fail in the confined area. My intake of breath quickened. I just couldn't breathe anymore. The further I flew into the sky, the more I felt utterly alone. Father made to help, his innocence warping around his form, but ceased when spikes surrounded my clear cell. Father hesitated, and at that moment Road appeared in front of me. I stared wide-eyed at the dark-shaded woman, who stared upon me with eyes full of blood-lust. With a flick of her wrist, the spikes surrounding me approached my feeble cell. Father sprang forward instantly.

"Alicia!"

Time seemed to slow down as the spikes began to enclose on me. Adrenaline rushed through my body as I frantically searched for an escape. I pushed my arms forward: nothing happened. I tried activating my Gale Blade: nothing again. I tried to kick the side of the cube: still nothing. Suddenly, one of the spikes pieced the area right next to me and made a hole through both top and bottom of the cube. I swear I saw the next one coming, and barely dodged it as I jumped to the right. I was surprised by how _slow_ the spikes were moving to my eyes. It became a dance, one that I could eventually predict without even searching for the projectiles. I looked outside my cell to see that father was slowing to a dumbfounded stop. Road's eyes became curious and frustrated as I moved an inch to the side to dodge another spike. The attack stopped suddenly, and my adrenaline rush soon ceased. I collapsed on the floor that resembled swizz cheese at that point. I could once again feel the wind as it brushed against the holes of the cube and found comfort in it. I inhaled a deep breath; ignoring whatever words the girl had begun screaming. I was too busy feeling the wind, embracing the element that I had once feared, and maybe still did. I laid my face to the ground to let it kiss my cheek. It was as if the wind missed me as well. Little did I know that it was trying to _warn_ me. Only upon looking back would I realize that it was asking for my control. Only when it was too late did I find out my fatal flaw. The Akuma screeched the sound of a banshee and it rose from the ground. With one single intake of breath, the Akuma spoke.

"_The fetus!"_

A sound that I could only explain as being a sonic boom raced across the sky. I became completely loss of breath and was knocked to the ground almost lifelessly. Harshly I breathed as something collided with the level four Akuma. The strange girl in front of me sneered before she disappeared completely from sight. With her disappearance, my prison lowered to grown level before it finally dissipated completely. I rested on the ground for a moment before I weakly looked across the field to look for my father, yet my eyes traveled further than his image. Behind my father, next to the new debris of trees and dust, was non-other than Lenalee.

_**/O\**_

_At two am, Allen walked out the front door of the mansion with Lenalee. It was around the time that Cilicia said she would be coming back, so Allen suggested that Lenalee would accompany him on his next round of the town. He decided to take the long way around, leading Lenalee away from the Chapel and around a complete circle around the mansion. Lenalee became so stressed that she began looking behind and in garbage containers. It broke Allen's heart to see Lenalee so distressed. But Lenalee kept up her guard, remaining optimistic in the face of utter panic and leading on with a smile. The smile became distraught with the more distance that they covered, and Allen finally began leading Lenalee towards the church. _

_Lenalee noticed before Allen did that Cilicia, with torn clothes and messed up hair, was limping on the opposite end of the street wearily. They ran to her side, and Allen barely managed to catch her as she fell down in what seemed to be exhaustion. He and Lenalee helped Cilicia back to the house, where Reynaldo took her from their grasp and raced her to the infirmary. Allen and Lenalee followed close behind, but were told to wait outside the door._

_It was a long, silent wait. Allen couldn't help but feel anxious; He had left Cilicia in one piece with Tyki, yet she came back in rags. He began to wonder whether it was Cilicia's idea of effect, to sell the lie indefinitely with her appearance, or simply Tyki revealing his dark sides just as soon as Allen turned his back. Allen was not aware of his hideous thoughts until they were interrupted. "Scary, isn't it?" Lenalee asked as she clenched her fist on her knees. Allen noticed her face turn pale as she attempted to even out her breath. Allen shook his head quickly of unpleasant thoughts as he looked to Lenalee curiously. "All the staff here claims that this is the rebellious teenager stage… That's kinda scary," Lenalee muttered as she placed a hand on her stomach. Allen blinked at Lenalee's fragile form, finally seeing the source of her fear in her eyes. If Cilicia had run away in a fit of defiance and had come back harmed in any way, Lenalee would see it as something to dread in the future. She was having regrets. Allen shook his head as he reached out to touch Lenalee's hand._

"_It's okay, Lenalee," Allen cooed as Lenalee moved closer to him and began to lean on his shoulder. Allen ran his hand through her hair and sighed in content as her scent drifted into his nose. "Cilicia was pressured here… She was going to be forced to take the medications again; to harm her health, her life, and her future… Lenalee," Allen lifted his head to look Lenalee in the eye as he gave her a soft smile. "Our baby isn't going to live like that,"_

_Allen noticed the calm smile the appeared on Lenalee's face. She slowly nodded her head in agreement. "Yes... you're right. Our baby will be happy and playful. We'll never endanger him… or her. I'm going to name him or her after you," _

"_What? Don't do that!"_

"_Why not?"_

"_Because…" Allen looked away from Lenalee. "It's horrible. You don't name anyone after someone who is…"_

"_Cursed," Lenalee completed, causing Allen to flinch. Lenalee shook her head. "It doesn't matter that you're cursed. It isn't as if it's genetic. I can't think about not naming the baby after you, Allen. It wouldn't feel right…"_

"_No, I'd rather the baby be named after you,"_

"_You're ridiculous," Lenalee muttered as she leaned her head once again against his shoulder. After a moment of peaceful silence, she lifted her head to look Allen in the eye. "I… I guess when I go back to HQ, I'll have to tell Komui,"_

_Allen frowned at Lenalee's words. He could feel the hesitation in her voice, and an almost sickening feeling came over his stomach. "Well… do you want to tell him?"_

_Allen saw that Lenalee was about to nod, but slowly began to shake her head. "I'm scared… I don't know how he'll react if I tell him,"_

_Allen laced his fingers through Lenalee's. Allen took in a deep breath. He would be going against his natural survival instincts when it came to matters with Komui, but an ironic sense of responsibility came over him. "But… you have to tell him, don't you? If you don't, you'll still be sent on missions. It may… It __**will**__ be a danger for the baby,"_

_Lenalee lowered her head at Allen's words. "I know… I've been so lucky to have simple mission over the past two months, but I know that will have to end soon…"_

_Allen lowered his head as he pondered over the dilemma for a moment. Though he almost had Cilicia's life secured, he knew he would still have to protect Lenalee while he kept an eye on Cilicia. Besides, he couldn't get off this mission even if he wanted to… Allen couldn't think of just letting her stay at Headquarters the whole time; her stomach growing and viscous rumors whispering around her… It was completely against the image that he and Lenalee sought. Where could Lenalee go that would keep her safe, that would keep her from danger of all forms, that would keep her from rumors...?_

_An idea suddenly appeared in Allen's head. He went over it a million times in his mind. It was foolproof, it had to be! He turned to Lenalee with a wide smile. "You can go the Asian Branch!" Allen cried. Lenalee looked up in her confusion._

"_What? Why?"_

"_Hear me out," Allen said as he held on to Lenalee's hand. "You'll go there through the Ark, a safe and simple trip, something that I can guarantee. Then, after you settle in to your new room, new home for that matter, you can reveal your situation to Bak,"_

"_B…Bak?" Lenalee blinked as she struggled to understand. "Why Bak?"_

"_Because… Many reasons," Allen muttered as the memory of the many photos of Lenalee appeared in his mind. A blush appeared on his face when he realized he would be sending her to someone who had a major crush on Lenalee (and one who still didn't hear about her and Allen's relationship). He quickly shook away the thought of it. "One is that he will definitely not send you on missions. He is way to compassionate, and he would rather have his head taken off than let anything happen to you or the baby. Another is Bak will keep a secret from Komui if you ask him to," Lenalee's eyes became wide as she finally understood. She almost held a smile on her face, but it soon turned into a grimace._

"_I… I don't know. I wouldn't be able to see you, and going through such lengths to keep a secret from my brother just isn't right,"_

_Allen nearly lost his hope. How could he convince Lenalee to go, to be safe from all the harm that he had put her in? After a moment, it became very obvious to Allen. "Lenalee," Allen cooed as he looked her in the eye, seeing her doubt and fear. He wished it to go away. He wished her to be at ease. "There is… another reason why I want you to go there. I don't think this mission will be over anytime soon. We can't find innocence, and Cilicia is… well, traumatized, maybe suicidal for all we know. Hey, don't shake! I'm sorry to put that image in your mind. I just want you to be safe… Not just from Akuma or things like that, but, the truth is, I don't trust the people at headquarters," Lenalee gasped at Allen's words, to which he shook his head. "Not everyone, but many people talk about me behind my back. They really don't approve of me, and I know they don't approve of you being with me. I just… I wouldn't be able to stand it if someone hurt you or the baby because of me!" Allen looked into Lenalee's eyes, seeing them dart to his, as if to search for an answer within him. After a moment Lenalee slowly nodded her head, and a smile appeared on her face._

"_Yes… I understand. But!" Lenalee interrupted Allen before he could speak. "I'll be at the Asian branch only until after the baby's born. I'll come back once I'm able to travel. Komui deserves to see his niece or nephew, and so does everyone else!"_

_Allen smiled as he wrapped his arms around Lenalee. "Thank you," He whispered into her ear. Lenalee held onto Allen tightly, holding him as close to her as she possibly could. Allen loved how close she felt; the love that was felt at that moment… it was breathtaking. He pulled away from the hug and placed a light kiss on Lenalee's lips. "I love you," He whispered to her, receiving a small giggle as she placed her lips on his again. At that moment, Allen heard the door behind him open. He reluctantly turned around the see Reynaldo walk out, his hat strangely in his hand instead of on his head. He looked over to Allen for a moment, and as he placed his hat on his head Allen noticed that he winked. Allen smiled slyly at that moment before standing up and confronting Reynaldo. "How is she?"_

_Reynaldo sighed shakily. "She'll be fine. She just seems a little beaten up, but she won't tell anyone why or how. She just won't speak. I'm really worried…" Reynaldo looked into Allen's eyes. "Allen… was my little sister…?"_

_Only Allen would see what Reynaldo was really asking. And Allen knew that only Reynaldo would understand his answer. He placed his hand on Reynaldo's shoulder, squeezing it lightly where he grasped. "Have faith, Reynaldo," Allen said, barely able to hide the smile on his face. Reynaldo shivered: an expression that seemed depressing, but was truly of relief. Allen nodded knowingly. "Over time, she'll speak,"_

**Yeah, can you tell that I'm trying to hurry through some more of Cilicia's story? I know everyone wants to know who Alicia's mother is! This is pretty much half flashback!**

**So, you guys need to review so you can make me happy, and to let other people know that you like this story so that they will read it as well! Haha! :-)**

**Yes, just type in that little box thingy down there! Anon reviews welcome! Also, please turn ON your chat features! I get sad when someone sends me a great review and I can't reply to it!**

**Also, Look out for my new One-Shot called Lovely Mine! KandaXLenalee, related to and part of this story! Just for fun, you know? **

**Hoped you liked it! Review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**11,234 words!**

**Hello there, everyone. It is me. I am alive. No I wasn't sick. Yes I had Senior-itis... you know... your last year of high school and you refuse to do any of the work...?**

**So, yeah, I'm back! ^-^ Going to college soon actually. (Woot Woot!) I won't take up any more of your time. Here's my latest chapter of So We Flow with the Wind!**

"_Ally," the name flew to Allen's ears smoothly from the acoustics of the newly furnished room. The sun shone through the large window, peaking through the sheer curtains that hung over its frame. It illuminated light over the shining white piano that Allen sat at presently, gazing curiously over to the woman who sat on the round bed across from him. The bed was also surrounded by curtains of sort, which Allen thought fitting for she, Lady Cilicia, was a sunshine all her own. Allen blinked at Cilicia, an eyebrow rising slightly on his puzzled face._

"_Ally?" He repeated the name. He was answered with a subtle nod. "You mean, short for Allison?"_

_Cilicia shook her head of raven hair, her bangs falling over her dark blue eyes. She answered with a light laugh and a breathtaking smile. "No, just Ally,"_

_The white-haired man continued to gaze at the raven-woman in bewilderment. "Okay… do you care to explain?"_

_Cilicia once again laughed, bringing peace to Allen's tired ears. With all the stress that had been in the house for the past three months, it was relaxing to hear such a sweet sound. He could not help but smile as she began her simple explanation. "Ally. Al-Lee. Allen-Lenalee. It's your names combined,"_

"_Oh," Allen muttered as a look of understanding washed over his features. A light blush appeared across his cheeks. It was such an innocent suggestion. He tilted his head ever-so-slightly, causing parts of his white hair to fall in his face. "You recommended that to Lenalee?"_

"_Uh-huh," Cilicia answered with a nod as she stretched out Timcanpy's wings, reaching it out as long as her arm span. With what little sunlight that reached her bed through the window, she studied Timcanpy's wings with awe as they shone the brightest of golden colors. Timcanpy was used to this type of treatment by now, and Cilicia was a lot gentler than Allen when it came to playing._

"_Well… did she like it?" Allen asked with a half-smirk, eager and willing to hear about Cilicia's previous conversation with Lenalee. _

"_She liked it until I explained it to her," Cilicia answered. Allen blinked at Cilicia, a troubled look across his face._

"_She didn't like it?" He questioned. He had thought it to be a cute name for a girl. Of course, he certainly wouldn't name her 'Ally' officially, but as a nickname it would suit a child._

_Cilicia giggled at Allen's surprised tone. "She got too embarrassed once I explained it. She called it 'corny', can you believe that?"_

_Allen laughed as he turned his attention to the piano. "I think she might warm up to it," His fingers began to move across the ivory keys, and he began to play some soothing notes off of the piano. The notes allowed Cilicia to sigh in a relaxed state of mind. Allen spent the last three months learning new songs, instead of just relying on his unusual instincts to play the instrument. It was a way to pass the time, learning this new skill. _

"_I also suggested my sister's name," Cilicia muttered the statement under her breath, but Allen heard it as clear as day. He raised an eyebrow, his fingers continuing to move above the keys._

"_Is that so?" He responded with intrigue laced through his voice._

"_Yes," Cilicia tugged on Timcanpy's tail, wrapping the appendage around her finger as she gazed softly into nothing. "It's actually a tradition; that name. It was my mother's name, and her mother before her. The first daughter of our family has always been named Alicia, and the eldest sister would have the honor of continuing the tradition," Cilicia held the sadist smile upon her face as she brought Timcanpy to her cheek. "I was named after them, you see. I was the first time a second daughter had been born in a long while. Now that I know, from all that has surrounded us, that my sister must truly be gone, I decided to pass that tradition… to Lenalee," Cilicia moved her body forward and swung her legs off the bed. She tilted her head as she continued to stroke Timcanpy's smooth head. "I know I could continue the tradition myself, but Lenalee is so much like my sister… she deserves to have rights to the name," Cilicia finally lifted her eyes to meet the corners of Allen's. "I hope this doesn't interfere with your name choices too much, I would hate to guilt you into taking my sister's name-"_

"_Of course not," Allen answered swiftly, nodding his head to rid Cilicia's mind of any hindrance. "I'm honored, actually. Besides," Allen smirked to Cilicia, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "That would just mean that we could call her Ally for short."_

_Cilicia giggled as she fell back onto her bad. A sigh escaped her lips. "You're right," _

_Allen smirked as his playing continued. He hit the keys with acute accuracy, his heart at ease in that very moment. A small chuckle escaped his lips. "Did you give her any boy suggestions?"_

"_Oh, yes," Cilicia raised the top half of her body using her elbows and gazed to Allen with her knowing smile. "I was actually going for a more ordinary name, instead of a combination or 'traditional' one. I recommended Nicholas, but for some reason our conversation drifted off to a mission that Lenalee recalled, and the name Nikolai replaced my suggestion," Allen nodded as he tested the name in his mind. It was a more exotic form of Nicholas for certain, but it made it all the more interesting. It seemed to fit for Allen- being that he was an interesting character himself and sure to have an interesting family- and a wide smile stretched across his face._

"_It's a nice name. I like it. What about you?" Allen finally asked, his gaze catching Cilicia from the corner of his eye. "Do you have any names picked out?"_

"_Of course," Cilicia nodded to Allen, an eloquent smile appearing on her face. "If it's a girl, I've decided Lilith; Queen of the Demons,"_

_Allen's playing faltered for a moment. He regained his fingering quickly before an uncertain look stretched across his face. "I have to say that I like the name…" Allen looked to Cilicia, a worried glance across his face. "But what's with the title? 'Queen of the Demons?'" _

_Cilicia tilted her head. "It's hard to explain… It came to me in a dream. I realized that, without the Akuma, I would have never met you, Allen. Because of that, I am so thankful to those creatures, to whatever reason that I have these powers, and to the Noah's interest in me. It's a twisted sense of appreciation, but I love the irony of thinking that my child's name would mean such a thing," Allen nodded to Cilicia's words. If it had not been for the unfortunate series of events that surrounded them, it was possible a child would've never been conceived between the two of them. Allen sighed heavily before Cilicia spoke again. "I do hope I have a son, though. I'm naming him after you,"_

_Allen couldn't help the chuckle escape from his lips. "Now don't you think that's just a little suspicious?" Allen asked as he glanced to Cilicia from the corner of his eye. Cilicia rolled her eyes._

"_I'm not naming him Allen. I'm naming him Walker," _

_Allen blinked, missing a key in his tune but picking it back up as soon as he missed it. A chuckle escaped his lips. "Walker Pena… that's a name. One who walks near a large stone, hah!" Cilicia smiled at Allen's laughter, the sound as wonderful to her as hers was to him. Deep inside her, she felt that she would miss that laughter._

_Cilicia wasn't so naive to believe that Allen would be an active part of her life for much longer. He was going to start his new family with Lenalee, fixing bonds with the Order while establishing new-found relationships with friends as well as his child. And Cilicia would be nearly forgotten, even with her baby. She was not sad, nor did she fret about it. She knew what she was getting into, but she also knew it was the harder path. To think that it would come to such treachery, yet somehow it was for the better. Cilicia Pena had experienced love, and that was the basis that she would raise her child on. Although she wished for her child to take Allen's name, just a further reminder of his existence, it would be too complicated to attempt. So Cilicia would smile, sometimes resting her hand over her extended stomach, and listen to the words that Allen spoke, so that she may treasure the moments that she had. Allen continued to play the piano, completely unaware of Cilicia's thoughts. He was completely clueless, and that made Cilicia love him all the more. "What about you?" Cilicia mused. "Do you have any names picked out?"_

_Allen's playing slowly ceased. He turned to Cilicia with pursed lips. "In all honesty, no. I had never believed I would have this chance… now that I do; I wish I had thought it over more,"_

"_Really?" Cilicia pondered. "I thought you were the type to think about the subtle life of supporting a family,"_

_Allen leaned against the piano, careful not to touch the keys. "Well, I have, actually. If I wasn't part of the Black Order and lived as a regular person, I had a whole plan stretched out. I always pictured a house in the country; some chickens, some cows… enough to sustain ourselves. We'd have friendly neighbors, and have a complete sense of safety at all times. I've always imagined two children. An older son with a younger daughter… you know, so that one day he can look after his baby sister. Hopefully not as clingy as the brothers I've met… no, I take that back. I want him to be clingier, just to keep the rascals away," Allen stopped speaking as Cilicia was engulfed in a fit of giggles. Allen glanced back to her and blinked lightly._

"_That sounds Identical to what Lenalee said," The words Cilicia spoke caused Allen's face to flush. There were always interesting conversations between Cilicia and Lenalee. Never before had he heard such interesting commentary than from those two women, and most of the time it ended with him extremely flustered. It all started when the lines were connected from here to the Asian Branch._

_Timcanpy had connected Cilicia's phone to Lenalee's line in the Asian branch two months ago; when Lenalee packed her bags and left a day before her transfer could even be confirmed through Central. She was too worried, too anxious, and feared that her baby bump was already showing on her stomach. In all truth, she was afraid to confront Komui in any way. Every simple engagement between them seemed to throw Lenalee into a semi-panicked state. So as her tension reached her high point, she called Bak to announce her "Visit". Little did the Asian branch know, she was staying longer than the weekend._

_Just as Allen had expected, Bak went along with Lenalee's pleas to keep out of contact with HQ. At first, though, he wasn't told the whole truth; only that she was avoiding her brother at all cost. After a nice week or two of settling in, she had finally sat down with him and explained the situation. She was four months into her pregnancy with Allen Walker's child. According to Lenalee, the confrontation went pretty well, but Allen knew better than that. Bak went ballistic on many levels, but as far as Allen was aware he was going along with the plan. He expected resentment, loathing, and more unpleasant feelings from Bak Chan and others aware, yet sworn to secrecy. All that Allen could take, as long as Lenalee was safe in Bak Chan's care, it didn't really matter to Allen._

_Cilicia had been keeping up with Lenalee. Allen did speak to her occasionally, but Cilicia was the one who called her every chance she could. Lenalee didn't mind, though. Cilicia was one of the only people outside of the Asian Branch she could talk to about the baby. Only she and Allen knew, and it was being kept secret from everyone else involved. It was a hard secret to keep from Link, and sometimes Lavi when he visited occasionally. It's difficult to keep such secrets away from your family._

_It was also so relieving for Lenalee to talk to Cilicia because of her 'Unfortunate miracle'. After Cilicia's disappearance 3 months ago, the local doctor refused to allow her to be placed on her 'Medication' until Cilicia had a full checkup and a chance to recover psychologically from the attack. She was recommended a full months recovery. Word got out around the house that it was another play to get off of the medications, that she ran off herself and then beat herself into the mess she was. Allen loathed that rumor. Although he had been the one to set up the whole ordeal, he found the gossip utterly despicable. After her recovery period ended, though, that talk immediately ended. To the horror of everyone involved, Cilicia Pena was carrying a child._

_It was a tough fight to wager among the household. A controversial subject emerged with Cilicia's predicament, and the rumors of how this would be treated reached ridiculous standards. It would be treated, though, was the immediate thought of the bystanders. To uphold the family name, to house only good blood, it would be __**treated**__… _

_But there was a group who believed otherwise; who believed that Master Reynaldo would halt any suspicion of termination, and the child would be raised under the Pena name. That was the more pleasant side, but it also consisted of the rumor that Cilicia's heart could not take the death of a child. Whether or not that was true, everyone knew that Reynaldo would choose any decision that Cilicia made. It would have to be up to the young mother to decide her own fate._

_But what of The Black Order members, her protectors? Is it a danger to the Lady's heath to carry a child? Will it only inflict more obstacles for the mission, more trouble to do their duty? Although many believed it should be the decision of the mother, there was a large gathering who believed that, with full support of Lord Pena, the child would be disposed for the sake of the mission._

_The rumors long circulated through the house, and on more than one occasion were brought up to Lady Cilicia in an attempt to sway her decision. But Cilicia wouldn't speak on the subject to them, nor knowingly speak a word since the traumatic event, so it was up to Reynaldo, Link, Allen, and Lord Pena to solve the matter. Allen remembered the confrontation as if it were yesterday. The men gathered into Cilicia's chamber, where she had spent her 'leisure' period. Link sat promptly in the chair that had been moved into the room, leaning his arms on his knees as he interlaced his fingers. Reynaldo sat across from him, resting a cup on the table shakily before leaning back in his seat. Allen resided in the corner of the room with Timcanpy perched on his shoulder, on-looking the entire scene with watchful eyes. He hid his gaze well, tilting his head so that his hair covered his features. This was the final moment; a decision was going to be made that would change the state of the household._

_Lord Pena entered the room at that moment, his loud footsteps echoing through the room with each step. His eyes were fire, his face held a snare. In all truth, he had already made his decision, and was fuming at the fact that others dared question it. A first for his family legacy, and it would not be the last time he was defied. "I will not have some low-life, mistake baby raised under my name!" Lord Pena cried in outrage. He moved across the room, a dark shade of anger hanging over his form. It made the others stiffen, for fear of this outbreak had long been awaited. He looked to Cilicia occasionally with his eyes blazing, each glance sending Cilicia into a further state of agitation. She would take the full force of his rage, and that thought feared Allen the most. His body was tense as he kept his steady eye upon Lord Pena, his body reacting upon instinct. He would protect the mother of his child at all costs, and would not regret a thing if he were to injure her own father._

_Reynaldo slammed down his fist, causing Allen to jolt as his gaze drifted to the young Master. "That is my sister! I do not care under what conditions this falls under, you will not dismiss the life of her child!" Allen smiled to himself, and as he gazed at Cilicia he saw the same grateful smile, if only for a moment. Her father's glare reached her once again, but would be redirected promptly._

"_I agree with Master Reynaldo," Link interjected, his eyes cool as he stared straight ahead of him. His gaze reached across Cilicia's bed, meaning that his eyes had a view of Cilicia's shaking form. Pity is what Link felt at that moment, for both Cilicia and the child. Allen's relationship with Cilicia was not the focus of his thoughts at that moment, but it didn't mean it wasn't present. "Morally, I believe to end this child's life would be wrong,"_

"_But Reynaldo does not understand!" Lord Pena accused as he continued to storm around the room. Lord Pena demanded power and respect, which he really lacked with the audience in the current room. His frustrated mind wavered slightly before he turned to face Link irritably. "The man who has done this to Cilicia targeted her for a reason; he has left his seed in her, his mark if you will, and it growing inside of her is a testament to his own victory!"_

_A sulking look appeared on Link's features. "I… guess that is another point," Link considered as he leaned back with pondering eyes. In the eyes of Lord Pena, it was all a game of dominance. It made sense to Link at that point as to why Lord Pena did what he had… _

"_Or, if you choose to get rid of it, you give him exactly what he wants!" Reynaldo shrieked, snarling at his father's pride. "What every man wants: Sex without consequence, no responsibility to show… It is the evil of mankind, but if all you want is to show this man up, then you really are a despicable man. This is your grandchild we're talking about!"_

_Link nodded in agreement. "Again, another feasible point, Reynaldo…" Link muttered with a glance to Allen. _

_Lord Pena glared at Link, wondering if his agreement was directed towards the evil of man, or to Lord Pena himself. He snarled again anyway. "Like I said before, it will be of no bloodline to mine! Even if this child is born, it is to be disowned immediately! The scum that man was is present in that __**thing's**__ genes, and we will not associate with that kind!" Lord Pena wiped his hand over his forehead. The pressure was setting in on him. He turned his attention back to Link, for he knew it was his last chance. "Link, I believe you should agree with me. You are a man of proper sense. You understand that a child conceived from unhappiness is doomed, do you not?"_

_Link remained leaned back in his chair, a pondering look across his face. His eyes soon drifted up to where Allen stood, in that corner of the room detached from the conversation. Link rested his chin on his fingers as he gazed to Allen. "What do you think, Walker?"_

_It was the first time Allen had been referred to directly. Allen lifted his head, his face looking shocked as if he hadn't noticed the argument taking place in front of him. Yet his mind was racing with that question. __**'What do I think?'**__ He thought of himself as despicable, placing Cilicia in a situation such as this. He felt himself as evil as Reynaldo had portrayed. At the moment, every eye was on him, every eye would judge him in his statement. Of course, Allen's decision was already made. It was his child, so he would advocate for its life, but it was the eyes of Link that halted his testimony. He eyed Allen as if he knew, as if he dared Allen to show too much care for that child. __**'If he knew it was mine, I wonder what he would do,'**__ Allen thought for a split second before dismissing the thought from his mind entirely. He took in a deep sigh, as if he took a moment for the question to sink in, and then lowered his head once again. "I… don't know," Allen muttered his planned words carefully. The words caused Timcanpy to jolt from shock while Cilicia's eyes began to widen, tears filling them instantly. Link witnessed her and Timcanpy's reaction from the corner of his eye, but continued to remain focused on Allen. Allen knew such would happen, but it was what he had intended. He wanted to establish a direct separation from Cilicia. "I think…" Allen mumbled to himself, his slight mischievous energy feeding Timcanpy and allowing the Golem to subtly relax. He blinked lightly in innocence before shutting his eyes forcefully. "I think Lord Pena is right,"_

_Reynaldo gasped in horror. Of all the people in this room, he had expected Allen to be on his side. "What? You can't be serious!" Allen flinched as Reynaldo screeched at him. He could hear the betrayal that laced Reynaldo's voice. Allen shook his head._

"_No! I'm not one for murder, because that's what this is, but… some __**despicable**__ person violated Lady Cilicia. Should she be forced to carry such a dark reminder of that night if it is not her wish?"_

_The room was silent for a while. That statement brought up the one thing that ached at the men the most; should it be Cilicia's decision? Asking that question itself made it seem as if she had no choice in the matter. One could almost hear the tear that fell from Cilicia's eye. Allen stared at his own feet, his eyes careful to be void of any true emotion. Reynaldo had lost his breath, and was unable to speak at all. Lord Pena had turned away from all others in the room, his features unreadable. It was Link who would break the silence with a drawn out sigh. "Us at the Black Order are the religious type; every soul has its purpose in life. This could be God's way of bringing a meaningful life into the world that would not have appeared otherwise. This life should exist, and there was no other way that it could happen. God does not let bad things happen for sport, it is part of a plan. Each experience should make us stronger, and grow as humans," Link stood from his chair, facing the girl with tears streaming down her face. She stared at Link and slowly smiled to him. Link could only smile back._

_Allen nodded his head to himself, catching Cilicia's peripheral vision. She gazed at him, and in turn led Link to look the same direction. Allen lifted his head. "How stupid am I… I'm an orphan, and I'm doubting the proposed existence of a child," His words led Cilicia to beam with happiness. Allen smiled in turn before walking to her side, Timcanpy flying off of his shoulder and into her arms immediately. She welcomed the golem with a tight hug as Allen stood by her side. "Besides," Allen stated as he placed his hands onto Cilicia's. "Who are we to decide something that has already been decided upon, right Lady Cilicia?"_

_Cilicia nodded her head. The question before was not needed to be asked, because the decision had already been made. Lord Pena would later find out that she had already arranged her appointments with the doctor, had already expressed to the nurse to learn the proper ways of being a mother, and had secretly met with her childhood caretaker to set up arrangements for the child. She swallowed down the lump in her throat before turning to face her father at that moment. He was now facing her, a stern look upon his face; a horrid example of anything close to a caring father. This was the moment. This was Cilicia's breaking point. This was her breaking free. Why had she let her father control her for all these years? This was it, though. She took in a deep breath before she defiantly spoke to her father for the first time. "I'm keeping the Baby,"_

_Lenalee was proud of Cilicia for her brave decision. She had told Allen that is was a decision that she didn't know if she could make, and was glad she didn't have to. Allen agreed. He still felt despicable, being that, in all reality, it wasn't really a matter of life or death over a controversial subject, it was merely a clever ruse for Cilicia to have Allen's child. All part of the plan…_

_A knock on the door captured Allen's attention with a jolt. He stood from his seat and eyed the door cautiously. To his pleasant surprise, it was merely Reynaldo and some photographers. He had nearly forgotten that the pictures were scheduled for today. He greeted everyone with a smile, although he knew the time of confrontation was soon at hand._

_**/O\**_

The air was filled with noise, noise that Collin couldn't cope with at that moment. His shaking hands reached out and touched An's cold face. She was freezing. A choked sob escaped Collin's throat, and he lowered his head over her limp body. "I'm sorry," Collin whispered as he raised himself off the ground. The medical team moved quickly, raising the bench from the ground and extracting the woman from the premises. Collin spoke to dead air. "For anything that I might have said to you, done to you, hurt you… I'm so sorry…"

"Collin!" Monica's familiar voice cried through the hall. From the corner of his eye, Collin saw the blonde forcing her way through the crowd to get to his side. As the medical bed passed her on her way to meet him, her face held a firm grimace. She was aware of the situation; she just didn't want to believe it. She wrapped her arms around Collins neck as soon as she reached him. "I'm sorry!" She cried as she started to shake the boy back to reality. "I'm sorry, but we got to go! We have to stop this!"

Collin didn't reply to Monica's cry, but with a look of resolution on his face he turned away from Monica and towards the fray. Monica saw the hard look in his eye, and with her heart heavy stopped him by pulling on his arm. Collin returned his look to Monica, about to yell to her face from anger and frustration when her lips crashed against his. His eyes were wide for a moment before he soon closed his eyes and returned the private embrace. It was a quick kiss, and as Monica pulled away, Collin smirked. "Allen would be so proud…"

"He should be," Monica stated, across her face appeared a light blush as she ran past Collin. "He gave me this advice many years ago!"

Collin blinked at Monica with surprise for a moment before running after her with a smirk. "Monica Bottle, you never cease to amaze me!"

Monica and Collin turned a corner and entered Hell. In the midst of the bloodlust, an evacuation was barely able to take place under the noses of the Akuma. How was it that these Akuma infiltrated among the exorcists so easily? Monica and Collin had no clue, but as they activated their innocence, they raced ahead to protect their home.

And I watched with the most disgusted face I had ever held from the rafters above, concealed in the shadows from the exorcists below. Was it my intension to lead an attack on the Order; of course not. I was brought here by the Millennium Earl, and was as shocked as the exorcists when they became under attack. And just when I was about to ask what the hell was going on, I was deserted, and my only order was to report back when the final Akuma had been defeated.

I huffed at the thought, gazing down with my deepest regrets. There were many casualties, not one of them being Akuma. I ran my hand over my face. The was a test of their capabilities, and it was not going so well. What was I to do? Guilt washed over me at that moment. I had brought the innocence to some of the exorcist below. Some of them were only here because of me, and now look at them. Being slaughtered by these vile creatures, and I couldn't stop it without blowing my cover. This is what I had to fight through. All the time, I was put through these tests of loyalty: and did I betray them? No, I never did. I never faltered my act, but this time… this time was difficult. Never had I witnessed such utter destruction, such domination over the exorcists. I turned away from the fray, hoping to persevere by ignoring the act as a whole.

Yet before my eyes an exorcist was thrown into my shadow. An indent formed in the wall around the exorcist's impact. My stomach felt sick as I turned away from the scene. Right in front of me was my inner pain, the one thing that I was working against, and I could barely stand it. I was about to leave when I heard the exorcist choke on her own blood. "T…Tyki?"

My eyes were wide when I heard my name. I dared not to move at the sound of her voice. It was just too… familiar. That was what startled me: The voice of a familiar exorcist. But I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned ever so slightly, only to lose my stature and face the woman with the most terrified stare. I choked on my own voice as I saw blood exit the corner of her smiling mouth. "No…" Was all I could say to the female exorcist in front of me. She tilted her head of curling blonde hair, her eyes full of understanding that I didn't deserve.

"Uncle Tyki," She called me the same tittle that the little girl from before called me, and for some reason I didn't fight it. As she slid off the wall and towards the ground, I raced to her side and held her in my arms. This couldn't be happening, it just couldn't. Not her, not this girl. "You can stop this, can't you, Tyki?"

I tensed at her words. No, I couldn't stop it. I just couldn't. It would blow my cover; it would just be too obvious. But as I stared down at the girl in my arms, an incredibly sad smile appeared on my face. "Yes… I'll stop it, Monica. But only if you hang in there, okay?" I felt myself speak without consent. Was I trying to comfort her? Is this what it's like when someone you know dies in your arms?

She laughed as her eyes began to close. "When you showed up at the village a long time ago, bringing my innocence to me on complete accident… did you know we would end up here?"

"Don't you dare start talking this way," I snapped at the girl in my arms. I felt liquid building up in my eyes. She would not die. I would not let her. "This is not the end, do you hear me?"

"I came to the Order without knowing you were a Noah, you know?" I stared at her pale face, brushing my gloved hand across her cheek as she continued talking. "It was such a shock when I found out who you are, and what that meant… And then I learned about Mr. Allen, too. Though I just call him Allen in front of everyone else… he's still Mr. Allen to me,"

"Stop it," I begged as I pulled her closer to me. "Just stop…"

"The Order thinks that they know everything, but they don't. But we know, don't we, Tyki? We know Mr. Allen has a plan. We know the war will end soon," Monica laughed lightly, tears filling the edges of her eyes. "I got to see Alicia the other day… my God, she was beautiful. She didn't even remember me. I guess that's a good thing. Tyki…?" I lowered my ear to her mouth to hear her fading voice. "Tell Mr. Allen I love him," Monica's words made me lose my breath. "Tell him Thank you for taking care of my brother. Tell him thank you for helping the Order, after everything… Tell him that Alicia grew up so beautiful… C-can you tell Collin K., an exorcist down there, that I love him…? God I love that self-centered bastard…"

"Monica…" I pulled away to fight her words.

'_**I'm sorry, Monica. This innocence belongs to you… I hate to do this to you. You're only eleven years old…'**_

She had already stopped speaking.

'_**This is Tyki Mikk. He's going to take you to The Black Order. He'll keep you safe. There is no one I trust more. You're going to become an Exorcist."**_

I could still feel her pulse weakly on her neck.

'_**You get your wish: You're gonna grow up very quickly. It's a tough word we live in, and you're gonna help people stay safe."**_

I gathered her in my arms at that moment.

'_**You want advice? There's only one thing I can give to a young lady like you.'**_

If I could just bring her to a medic…

'_**You need to be an example. Be someone others will want to follow. Become friends with all the right people…'**_

Maybe she could be saved.

'_**Most of all; let yourself fall in love. And when you do… Fall hard.'**_

Maybe-

"Tyki," I froze when I heard that voice. My emotions were sobered as I gazed to Road's shadowy form next to me. I saw the tears in her eyes falling across her cheeks. "Tyki, I need you," she cried as she wiped her finger across her eye, not even looking at me. She continued to speak, but I did not hear her words. Did she dare come to me with tears in her eyes, as if those tears were any more important than the tears that the girl in my arms shed? And yet she dared to speak more, only these words reached my ears. "I found the gift barer, only thing is… she's with exactly who we don't want her to be with. Now's the time to-"

"No," Road blinked before looking at huddled my form, finally seeing for the first time the girl in my arms. My head was hung over the fading girl, my mind pulsing with anger. Tease began to flutter around my form, and their presence cause Road to back away from me with wide eyes. I held out my hand, and as a tease rested upon my fingers it morphed into my own blade around my arm. At that moment I begin to laugh. My bloodshot eyes shot open to stare at Road in hate. "I'll help you… over my dead body,"

I shot straight past Road, down the rafters and straight through the face of a giant Akuma with a flash. I held Monica close to me as I straightened myself, the Akuma disintegrating behind my form as the mass of exorcist and Akuma ceased their attacks to stare upon me. I walked forward, past those who stared at me in disbelief without even a glance. I didn't stop until I was right in front of the nurses who bravely entered battle to aid the wounded. The Tease flew away from me as I kneeled in front of them and slowly placed Monica on the ground. That was all I had planned to do; drop of Monica to where I knew she would get aid then leave. But as soon as I began to turn away, her hand reached up and gripped my gloved hand firmly. I turned back to stare into her harsh eyes. She dared me to walk away from her at that moment. She sat up, wincing in pain as she did so, but ignoring it. "Tyki..." She called, her voice laced with pain. I was supposed to leave her to die. How could I kill my own Akuma, and hand her straight to the medical unit?

I smiled down to her. "I know," I muttered as I leaned down to kiss her golden hair. The same golden hair that I stared down to nine years ago, as I guided her away from her home and to the Order's front door: The first exorcist that I had ever aided in my Noah life. A smirk appeared on my lips. "Cover blown," I whispered softly. I turned my back to her, facing the still room with stern eyes. "Go!" I shouted to the Akuma, who all jolted in shock. "Leave this place, Akuma. You will not come back!" The Akuma fled. I don't know what startled them so badly, but I could only assume that they feared me as much. My gaze once again reached Monica's, and I felt utter relief that the medical team got over their fear of my presence and were already treating her. She ignored them and stared at me with eyes that begged for answers, to which I smiled. I kneeled next to her, startling everyone with my quick action, but they were ignored by me as I continued to smile at Monica. "You know," I muttered, completely aware of the exorcists who were attempting to stealthily surround me. I gripped the edge of my hat, lifting it slightly so that our eyes would meet. "I guess I finally got tired of the Noah killing off my friends for their enjoyment,"

Monica's eyes were filled with understanding as well as fresh tears. I shared one last smile with her before I saw Komui across the way, staring at me with the widest eyes I had ever seen. There was a truly startled man, one who was completely unaware of my good intentions. I gave him a two finger salute before I fell through the floor, disappearing from the scene entirely, leaving the exorcists to puzzle on their own.

_**/O\**_

I raised my head from the ground to see her breathtaking features. I held out my arm lightly, but it fell immediately to the ground with my head. Was it just me, or was it the perfect time to take a nap. But I couldn't sleep at that moment, and I fought it with all my might to stay conscious.

As the girl across the field slowly turned her figure, I knew for sure that it was Lenalee. Her breath was heavy as she faced my way, her hair stuck on her sweaty face. As she turned, she lost her breath when her eyes landed on father. I felt a jolt through my body when their eyes connected, and I felt that I myself would melt internally. A smile grew across my face, and at that moment I noticed Tobi crawl onto my nose. "Hey, Tobi," I whispered as I shakily rubbed my golems head. "I think… it's happening now,"

"Allen?" Lenalee mumbled as she took a step forward. Father did not move, staring sternly at the woman in front of him. I felt that I understood his hesitation; he was too afraid to react to Lenalee's actions. The only one who didn't seem tense at the moment was Timcanpy as he flew to land on my father's shoulder presently. But even he stared at Lenalee, as if questioning whether or not she was really in front of us.

I felt a hand on my shoulder at that moment, and I gazed up to see Reynaldo by my side. The prison I was in had disappeared with Road's absence, and I laid on the ground as Reynaldo attempted to lift my form. He aided me into a sitting position and encouraged me to stand, but I ignored his effort. I became completely absorbed into the scene in front of me, and when that became apparent to Reynaldo, he slowly turned to witness the moment as well.

Father's white mask was positioned on his nose at that moment, something he had done when the Akuma was struck down before him. I believed it was more for mental support than it was for external concealment. He was unsure of himself at that moment, a moment that I was sure he had not anticipated. I hadn't imagined it either; I thought this was more of a fantasy than reality. But it was happening right before my eyes. Lenalee was confronting my father.

"Allen," Her voice wavered as she stared upon my father in disbelieve. I watched as her features slowly changed, her face wincing in a type of pain as tears formed in her eyes. My father's body tensed as she took another step towards him. "Is it really you?"

I didn't expect my father to answer. I expected silence, and that was exactly what Lenalee got. I couldn't stand it. All I wanted was for him to speak, as if to let her know that he was real. Was that too much to ask? I wouldn't stand for it. I opened my mouth to speak, only to have Reynaldo slap his hand against my mouth. I squealed in defiance, for I would not give up so easily, but my protest went unnoticed by Lenalee. Yet it was not unnoticed by my father. I saw his head tilt slightly in my direction before resuming its position. I was quiet as soon as his jaw moved.

"Yeah..." The one word led both Lenalee and I to stare with wide eyes. My heart beat pounded sporadically, which is all that I could guess was happening to Lenalee at that moment. Her reaction was subtle enough, I guess, because father grew enough courage to reach for the mask across his face. He lowered the concealment, revealing a face that must have seemed more mature than Lenalee's memory. His red scare was the most apparent feature across his pale skin, and those silvery-blue eyes were bright against the orange sky that held behind him. Lenalee's hand covered her gasp as she gazed upon my father's face. The tears in her eyes fell over, and streamed down her light skin. She stared at father for a moment. He stood where he was with confidence, looking as strong as I have ever seen him. As Lenalee slowly lowered her hands from her face, what appeared there was a smile.

A smile appeared on my face as I turned to Reynaldo. He looked to me from the corner of his eye, an eyebrow raised at my excited form. I stared at him for a moment before I witnessed a small smirk appear on his face. With a lively laugh I wrapped my arms around my uncle's neck, and hugged him with the intent of never letting go. But I would have to pull away, I would look back to see Lenalee's eyes upon my form, to which I greeted her gaze with my brightest smile, the same smile I treated father with every day. Tobi crawled on my shoulder, growing a smile across his face as well. This interaction led Timcanpy to flutter his wings wildly. It was strange how these simple actions caused everyone to smile.

But the excitement of that moment didn't last long. The grass rustled around me, and a whisper ran through the wind. It was an instinct for me to turn on my heels, readying myself in a crouched position just as someone burst through the tree line, coming to a complete halt upon seeing us.

"Link!" I heard Reynaldo cry as he shot to his feet, an incredulous look upon his face. His outburst seemed to attract the attention of one man with long blond hair pulled back in a low pony tail. Behind the man was one who, for some reason, struck fear into my soul. He was an older man, with dark hair slicked back on his head, and the strangest facial hair I had ever seen. I had an irking feeling about the man for the split second that I laid my eyes on him.

The man called Link rested anxious eyes upon Reynaldo. His body was tensed, and his stance seemed to be on the defensive. "You…" He muttered, as his eyes drifted past Reynaldo, completely skipping over me before landing on my father. I heard Lenalee's small gasp, so I turned my head to look upon both her and my father.

Lenalee seemed uncomfortable all over again, as her hands returned to covered her mouth and worry was etched into her eyes. Father had a much more vicious expression upon his figure: A snarl formed on his lips as he glared towards the men who had just appeared. Timcanpy jumped off of father's shoulder, fluttering anxiously as he studied father's actions with me. This expression itched my curiosity, and as soon as I turned my head back to face the two men, the man called Link finally landed his gaze upon me. His beady eyes studied me, and for a moment there I thought he was staring into my soul.

"Binding Wings!" Was all I could remember from that moment. I became surrounded by flying paper projectiles that soon swarmed around my form and caused me to collapse on the ground. Fear took over as I clenched my eyes closed at the contact, and as soon as I opened my eyes I saw the swiftest movements. In a white flash my father was in front of me, his shining claw to the neck of the man called Link. I could barely see his eyes, but I knew there was a fire in them at that moment.

"You let her go!" Father yelled into his face, the man stared back to him with the craziest eyes I had ever seen.

"Why don't you make me, Walker?"

The taunt was enough for my father. I witnessed with horror how his claws enclosed dangerously around the man's neck, and he moved to use his whole body as leverage. The only thing that stopped him was a small cry. "Stop it!" Father's deadly clasp ceased at the sound of Lenalee's voice. He retracted his claws, and with wide eyes I could have sworn I saw a line of crimson running down Link's neck. I could barely move my body, from both the weight attached to me and from utter shock, but I could hear Lenalee's light feet running towards us as she cried. "Stop it, Link! Let her go, she has nothing to do with this!"

"It seems you are attempting to aid a criminal, Lenalee Lee," The man behind spoke at last, his gaze critical as he casually watched the scene play out in front of him. I heard a small gasp behind me, yet a moment later I heard Lenalee speak again.

"Leverrier…" She muttered the name as I finally saw her form from the corner of my eye. Leverrier, so that was his name. An almost demonic aura seemed to surround him at that moment, but I had tried to write it off as my childish fears. But it was there, nonetheless, in my mind or in reality, my imagination or instinct, that man was a truly evil man. Tobi flew around my head in panicked circles as Lenalee leaned down next to me and attempted to wrap her arms around me. She hesitated, as if she knew that she would not succeed in lifting my form. Her body faced the men again once the conclusion was made. "The only reason why you've received such an aggressive reaction is because Link has threatened a little girl!"

"A test, you see," Leverrier answered simply as a smirk appeared on his worn face. "We at the Black Order would never dare to put the innocent in harm's way, so why is it that Allen Walker is so adamant to believe in otherwise, that he has to visibly show aggression to us; a peaceful order?" Lenalee was speechless as she gapped upon that man. He seemed to enjoy such a reaction as he leisurely strolled the distance towards us, a sinister grin lacing his face. "It is a psychological condition, Lenalee, for Allen's mind is so obviously twisted by the evil infused within him that he truly believes _we_ are the true evil," Lenalee's eyes seemed distant at his words, as if she were actually taking in the nonsense that this man spoke. I glared at him, although my stare would be overlooked as he turned back to face my father and the man. What I saw then I at first thought was a misperception. Upon the back of that man's neck, peeking out just above the collar in the slightest, I saw what seemed to be a blue lady bug. This man had a bug on his neck, and if he knew it was there he didn't in the least bit seemed bothered by it. Yet its presence bothered me, although I believe the conversation stole me away from my thoughts. "Good work, inspector Link. It seems it would have been a terrible mistake to remove you from this assignment after all,"

The one called Link, his eyes still wild with a strange sense of ambition as he stared into my father's eyes, grinned just as wildly. "Thank you, sir,"

A chuckle is what I heard emerge from my father's lips. It was truly the most unexpected sound. Leverrier rose an eyebrow at that moment as his gaze fell solely on my father. I could see the corner of my father's cynical smirk, the presence of such causing Leverrier to step back. "Well," Father mused as he glared into Link's eyes. "Maybe I just don't like to look at Link's _God Damn face_,"

Lenalee gasped just as Link seemed to snap. He made to lunge at father when a distinct metallic sound led all eyes to be directed to Leverrier. My eyes widened at I saw a blade being held to the man's neck. It had seemed to be derived out of nowhere, but that thought was eradicated quickly once I saw that it emerged from a sleeve. I stared up in awe at that moment, only half surprised when I heard Reynaldo laugh. "Alright, Link," My eyes grew wide as I saw his distinct smirk from behind the frightful man. The look in his eyes was absolutely mad, and the thought of this familiar man in such a way was absolutely frightening. "If you want your inspector to keep his head, I suggest you release my Niece,"

"So you admit it!" Link cried as his eyes returned to my form. "That little girl is-"

"Going to be set free," Father finished the man's statement with acid in his voice, although I was almost sure that wasn't what he was going to say. The choice of words and distinct accusations led my mind to hum, but as Link returned my father's glare I lost all my breath in anticipation. I was utterly relieved to find the weight leave me. I gasped for air, feeling a great relief as I sat up at that moment. I felt Lenalee's arms around my form instantly as Tobi found refuge in my sleeve. I grasped at Lenalee's arms, instantly, pulling myself into her arms with urgency. I buried my face into her shoulder, peeking my eyes up only to witness the standoff.

Although I had been set free, no one had moved a bit. It was as if this was continuing as a hostage situation, and although I had been set free it didn't mean that that someone wouldn't 'pull the trigger'. The looks of pure hatred shared between father and that man led my chest to hurt. In fact, it was a growing pain, something that was gradually becoming heavier with each breath. At each glance to the men, my mind raced with strange images. I saw my imagination reveal brief flashes before my eyes. An image of father, one of Reynaldo, and another showing Link, and I finally felt that I couldn't stand it when I pictured them all together, with actual smiles upon their faces. My chest began to ache more and more. With all I knew, with all that I suspected, these men could have been friends at one time. And where was I in this? I was a pawn, one that seemed to break that image in my mind apart. Before I could voice my concern, before I could scream at the men before me, Lenalee's shivering form lashed out her arm. "Can't you see that Alicia's terrified? Stop this right now!"

"Alicia," I heard Link say my name, and at that moment his eyes met mine. For a moment there was a slight shine in his eye, but it was gone as quickly as it came. I knew it immediately; a sign of recognition. This man knew something about me that I obviously didn't. "Do you know how despicable this man is, Alicia?"

I clinched Lenalee's sleeve tighter at that moment as the pain in my chest increased with his words. Timcanpy latched on my back almost protectively as Father growled. "Shut up!" He yelled, and a second later father threw a punch into his jaw. Lenalee gasped as Link fell to the ground, gripping his chin as he shot a glare to father. Reynaldo held a shocked expression as father stepped back, holding out his arms to instigate retaliation. My eyes were wide. He wanted a fight.

Link scowled and with the fastest reflexes I've ever seen lunged towards father, a blade appearing from his coat sleeve just as Reynaldo's had. Father immediately raised his left arm, blocking Link's attack. Their bodies were shaking as they struggled against each other's force, although it seemed that Link was struggling more. Father pushed Link away before striking his claws, aiming straight for his neck. Link wouldn't dare try to block father's attack, but would dodge with a swooping slide and attempt another attack. With each thrust they made, emotion poured into my body. With each lunge, a vision of what could have been flashed through my mind. Why did they fight? Why would they have to fight? Timcanpy crawled over my shoulder as Tobi peaked out from my collar. They could sense my increasing aches. I couldn't withstand the pain in my chest anymore; I pushed myself away from Lenalee and stood facing the fighting men. With tears filling my eyes, I attempted to scream. "Stop it!" My voice was hoarse and barely paid any mind, such as my actions from the fighting men. From the corner of my eye Reynaldo gasped at me, but that was the only reaction I saw from my vain attempt. The tears in my eyes blinded me, I knew my words had no effect on the men, but I continued nonetheless. "I don't want you to fight! It's killing me, stop it!"

I think I used all my breath. I felt extremely light headed at that moment. I heard Reynaldo's voice briefly before I let gravity pull my body to the ground. I could hear father's voice quiet distinctly, resulting in my eyes opening in just the right time to see Link land a direct punch to my father's face. Any attention that I had aroused was gone instantly. I wanted to cry, to beg for them to stop, but there was no air for me to breathe. I felt cool hands against my face, and as I looked above me, I saw Lenalee's tears. She was in the same position I was, only that she actually knew of their life before. I wondered vaguely if it hurt Lenalee as much as it hurt me, but I guess I just wouldn't know that. She brushed her hands against my face. "Alicia, what's wrong? Speak to me, love!"

For some reason, all I noticed was the winds absence. There was still conflict going on around me, and I could hear Reynaldo calling for cessation on my behalf, but what really got to me was that there was not wind passing by my face. Lenalee brushed my bangs away from my eyes, her eyes pleading above me to speak. For some reason, there was only one thing I could say to her. There was something I wanted to discuss, and I was allocated a small breath of air to speak of it. I smiled to the lovely lady above me. "Ms. Lenalee," I cooed as I lifted my hand to touch her tear-stained cheek. She covered my hand with her own as her eyes continued to plead. I sucked in another short breath. "You killed that Akuma,"

Lenalee's features morphed, confusion spreading across her brow. "Yes…" She whispered with a small nod. I giggled as the pain in my chest continued to burn into me. I took another breath.

"Yes, you killed him. I hope he'll feel better now…"

"What do you mean, Alicia?" Lenalee begged as she held onto my face, as if she thought that keeping eye contact between us would solve this problem. I shook my head at her, and tilted myself until I eyed my father for a split second before returning my gaze to Lenalee. I decided to answer the question that presented itself in her eyes.

"It scared him," I murmured as I cringed, curling my arms and legs until I was in the fetal position as I felt the pressure in my chest increased. "He really wanted to kill that Akuma; especially after he found out its name…" I sucked in a gasped of air, although it was barely enough for me to speak. I couldn't read the expression on Lenalee's face. My face was morphed in utter pain as I motioned for her to come closer. She accepted my request. As the last breath I was allowed left my lips, Lenalee's head sprang away, her eyes as wide as discs as she stared at me incredulously. I couldn't take the feeling in my chest anymore, it increased with every moment.

Then it was obvious to me; this feeling would infinitely progress. It wasn't a physical pain…

I shot up from Lenalee's lap, the burning in my chest transforming into the familiar bright glow that I knew so well. In one flick of my wrist I shot Reynaldo and Leverrier across the way to eventually crash into Father and Link. The impact was severely hard, and they crashed a decent distance away from where I stood. I took in a deep breath, filling my lungs with much needed air as I lowered my arm in front of me. I huffed the air from my lungs as I brushed my bangs away from my face. "That felt good," I stated as the glow from my chest finally subsided. Timcanpy jolted in shock and flew past me in panic so that he could reach my father's side. With fuming eyes I stomped my foot in front of me. "You're all idiots, I hope you know that!" I cried, crossing my arms across my chest. The pain had subsided: I finally got over it.

Of course, I didn't intend on using my innocence, but it had decided for me that I couldn't stand to see such a sight. And Reynaldo's involvement was quiet ridiculous as well. It was a pointless fight, for it didn't solve anything. It felt completely like a personal waste of time. But I was emotional, lost in the never ending sea of what I didn't know. That's what solved this problem, though. I got over what I didn't know. All that I needed to know wouldn't exactly be solved by petty fistfights, now would it?

Leverrier sat up immediately, staring at me with wide eyes filled with what seemed to me as an almost suspicious horror. He gazed at me that way, his eyes darting to father, me, then father again. He blinked before he jabbed his finger to me. "That's it!" Leverrier screeched. "She's an exorcist; that's why Walker attacked! Walker is trying to steal this exorcist!"

Never before had I felt so stupid. I took a hesitant step back just as Link regained his composer. With shocked eyes he looked at me. His expression revealed a deep trouble, yet I would not dare to not take advantage of this moment. I made to run away, escape while I still could and possibly regroup with father later, when I felt a grip on my arm. I turned to the culprit only to be frozen in place. I stared directly into the eyes of Lenalee at that moment. I wasn't quite sure that I understood the look her eyes, but I suspected it to be something like betrayal, as if I had completely broke all of her trust in me. In the moment of my weakness, I saw Link recover himself and make to come after me, only to be thwarted by Reynaldo locking his arms around his neck. "Alicia, run!"

"B-but-!" I cried as Lenalee's grip on my arm faulted, and I backed away from the scene in front of me slowly in shock.

Reynaldo shook his head. "No, run away! Go now!"

"No!" Link shrieked as he grasped at Reynaldo's arm. "Lenalee, grab her!" I gasped as I turned to the exorcist next to me. Our eyes connected for a moment and fear shot through my veins. Lenalee stared up to me, her features unreadable at that point. She reached out to me and I shrieked.

"No, you wouldn't dare!" I cried as I backed away from her. Lenalee's eyes became wide as she watched the tears fall from my cheeks.

"Run!" Reynaldo cried, but at that moment Leverrier caught him from behind. Link nearly broke away from Reynaldo's grasp, only to be halted by Reynaldo grabbing him by the collar of his coat.

"Grab her!" He shrieked. I was frozen in fear, unsure of what to do. I saw Timcanpy finally urge father to gain his composure, gazing upon Reynaldo and the men with daze. Link was about to break free, and I felt my stomach clench as my eyes darted from each man with uncertainty. As soon as I was about to run, the worst feeling of dread fell over me as I felt the grip on my arm return.

I looked to Lenalee with pleading eyes. "Please!" I shrieked as I attempted to free myself from her grasp, yet I felt too much compassion for the woman to dare hurt her.

With the tears in my eyes falling from my face, I jerked my arm with no such luck. I looked back to Lenalee's eyes, those dark violet eyes, knowing that she was only reacting from confusion and fear. I was afraid, too. I was so very afraid; afraid of being away from my father, afraid of hurting Lenalee, and afraid of the man who was so close to breaking free. With tears falling from my eyes I heard my father cry. "Alicia!"

Just as Link broke away, I screamed for my life. "No! No, Please!" I reeled my arm, gasping when the action backfired and pain shot from my elbow. My eyes flew to every face around me about a million times until they finally found a place to lie. Of all the faces that surrounded me, my stare always returned to Leverrier. Why of all the faces did they land there? Then I caught it. I felt my eye twitched eagerly, as if there was something that I was missing. My lips moved before I thought it through. "On his neck!" I shrieked. "On the back of his neck, there's a bug! There's a bug!" I didn't know what I was saying, but I cried with all my might as I pointed to that internally evil man. It seemed to make all the sense to father. He nearly tackled the man, but as father brushed his hand against the back of Leverrier's neck, he didn't exactly reach the ground as Leverrier. The scope appeared before both mine and my father's eyes, but I had dispelled mine as soon as it appeared. I would not dare look at the soul that _thing_ held. Its form was slender and black, with wings that spread as far as four men. Once it was uncovered, it immediately flew to the sky, taking father along with it.

It was enough to distract Link, who stared upon the black serpent-like creature with a horrified awe. I watched with another type of awe as black wings stretched across the night sky, and with a new found excitement in my blood I made to join them in the sky. But as I tried to reach towards the stars, the grip on my arm still remained. With regret full in my heart, I turned to face Lenalee. She held onto my arm with both of her hands, her form shaking as she attempted to speak. "You just… Allen, and you… you can't-!"

I smiled to Lenalee at that very moment. What was I to do with her? I loved her so very much, but as the winged creature above me screeched a dreadful sound into our ears, I knew I had to be in the air. Her eyes were pleading to me, but I didn't quite understand what they were asking for. There was one thing I could offer her, as a white flash shot across the sky and the men around us cried incoherent words. I stomped my foot in the most childish way I could, a pout apparent on my face.

"I just found my father, Lenalee! Don't keep me from him now!" Lenalee's eyes widened, and almost instantly she released her grip of me. I ran immediately away from her, looking as if I were running towards Link. As the man turned to see me running towards him I shot him a smile, bending my knees ever-so-slightly before I shot into the sky. The wind whipped past my face excitedly, and as I slowed down and stood myself firmly in the sky, I faced the dragon creature before me.

Eye to eye.

**Soooo... do you like it? ^-^ I'm really sorry it took me this long to update. I hope you haven't forgotten about me! T-T**

**Getting close to the big reveal. I can't wait!**

**Give me your reviews!**


	18. Chapter 18

**10,798 Words**

**And hate me all you want, It took me a long time to get over some issues in my life. That's all better now, and my New Years Resolution is to try to finish this story within this year. Aren't you happy?**

**I got a tumblr, RikaMae151, come bother me if you want =P be nice, though. please. I'm sensitive, haha!**

**(We are still going at the same pace. Did you know I'm evil? Did you know that I'm all for that character development?... I'm pretty terrible at it, but I'm enjoying it and I've had a lot of time to sort out the kinks. Please Enjoy The Story!)**

_Cilicia Pena slept soundly in her bed, with Timcanpy nuzzled into the nape of her neck comfortably. Link's head leaned towards the side as he fell asleep with his book in his hands. Allen laid in his hammock, gently swaying his bedding of choice from side to side. His arms were his pillow, and he gazed dreamily at the ceiling as he continued to sway. It had been a long month for him. Allen and Cilicia were having a constant battle against Lord Pena. Although her decision had been final, and she had stuck to it for this long, the Lord was still adamant that the child was to be removed; if not from her before birth, than from his house afterwards. Allen would not have such talk, and, with the clever ruse that the 14__th__ had once again taken over his body, punched Lord Pena in the face. _

_It may have caused more trouble than it was worth. Link was keeping his side of the bargain, and didn't send a report about it, but he kept his eye on Allen more. It was also becoming regular for Lavi to be present, with or without Link. Allen wasn't sure how much Lavi knew. He was unaware if Link had let on to what had been going on, or if Lavi's Bookman abilities could just sense it. Luckily, as far as he knew, Lavi was just as clueless as ever. But he seemed to keep his eye on Allen for Link's sake._

_Allen swung his legs over the side of his hammock, blankly gazing over to the sleeping woman in the bed. After many days by Cilicia's side aiding her and the baby, Allen had decided that he didn't regret what he did, nor would he ever truly forget her. Cilicia deserved to have Allen's support, and he would give it, although the thought of his child growing up not knowing a father made his chest ache. '__**At Least he'll have a mother, which is more than I ever had,**__' His mind was set on referring to his child in a male tense, mostly because Cilicia would often refer to the child as 'he'. When asked why, she said it was because in all her dreams she pictured a girl, so it had to be the opposite. Upon remembering the fond conversation, Allen smiled for the first time that night. As that smile stretched across his face, Timcanpy began to wiggle slightly before bringing his tail up to rub his face. _

_Allen slid off the hammock and walked to the side of the bed as Timcanpy crawled away from the sleeping woman. Allen held out his arm for Timcanpy to crawl on, and as the Golem crawled up to Allen's shoulder when he turned to leave, something caught his eye. A small shining light blinded him momentarily, and Allen gave a half-smile as he reached over and gently pinched the object responsible before removing it from Cilicia's hair. __**'She forgot to take off her sister's hair pin,'**__ Allen shook his head at the forgetful girl in front of him. He gazed at the pin, the sapphire gems lined in delicate twisting rows reflecting light across his silvery eyes. This was the pin that her sister's secret lover gave her before she was forced to leave with her fiancé. Cilicia said she never even got to wear it; she was too afraid to leave with it, because there was not a doubt in her mind that she would not return to her home._

_Timcanpy opened his mouth and made to bite Allen's ear, but Allen blocked the attempt with his hand as he gently set the pin on the side table. "I know, I know," Allen muttered as he walked away from the sleeping girl, carefully walking past Link before leaving out the door._

_The walk to the church became second nature, and Allen would weave in and out of short-cuts without a thought. He slipped his hands in his pockets as he strolled into the building; his first thought being that he was late. To his surprise, his guest was nowhere to be found. Allen walked to the front of the church, ignoring his reflections in the windows he passed, and took a seat in the front row of pews. This was a normal set up, something that happened every five days to keep suspicions low. Allen would keep his part of the deal as long as Cilicia was safe, even if he wasn't exactly one to trust so easily. It was a matter of minutes before footsteps were heard resonating across the church._

"_I must apologize for being late," Tyki walked past Allen, tugging at his gloves as he continued to walk forward. His mouth opened once again, probably to explain the nature of his absence, when Allen raised his hands._

"_No, you're fine. I was running late anyway," Tyki blinked at Allen, unsure of what to do when treated so casually by him. He had honestly never imagined that they would speak to each other in such a way, but he soon recovered from his shock as he fixed his hat on his head._

"_I see. Good then," Tyki cleared his throat before he continued. "You wouldn't believe how hard it is to keep Road away from you. She seems especially eager nowadays… Did you do something, perhaps?"_

_Allen clenched his fist, but hid his tension with a laugh. "You have no idea…"_

"_Right…" Tyki couldn't find anything else to adjust on his form, so he awkwardly took a seat in front of the organ. "I showed extreme eager in front of the Earl to continue this mission alone, so he sent Road off to occupy her time elsewhere. I'm not really sure where, although everyone else treats it like it's obvious information… Always the one last to know, right?"_

_Allen clenched his teeth. "Whatever it is, it can't be good. I'll need you to let me know as soon as you find out what it is,"_

"_Of course, whatever it takes to get you to trust me," That was Tyki's favorite thing to say when around Allen. Allen swore he heard it a million times, if not more. And each time that it was said Allen let out a sigh. He rubbed his gloved hand on his forehead before eyeing Tyki with a raised eyebrow._

"_You ask me to trust you, but you haven't even told me how you plan you doing… whatever it is you plan,"_

_Tyki chuckled at Allen's words. "Oh, I have a plan. It's quite ingenious," Allen awaited an explanation. When none came, he frowned at the Noah, causing said Noah to chuckle again. "For the last few months, I have found myself frustrated beyond belief when around the other Noah. I haven't let it get to me, though. Each moment that this happens, when I am the center of ridicule or simply unappreciated by my comrades, I think to myself 'Remember the plan, Tyki. Soon this will be no more,'" Tyki was engulfed in a fit of laughter. "It drives them insane!"_

"_What do you mean?" Allen asked, his eyes narrowing in the slightest._

_Tyki's smirk widened. "It's simple. Waizuri hears my thoughts, and tells everyone else what I am thinking. The last thing they could possibly want is what I am doing currently with you. Don't look so surprised; they know nothing about you. I was simply testing whether or not my betrayal would mean anything to them,"_

"_But now they know you are up to something!" Allen snapped at the idiotic man in front of him. Said man merely laughed again._

"_No, I have already calmed their minds of that with my assertion for complete coverage of this mission, as if this were my plan all along. My eagerness is like a sign to them, as if I am embracing my inner Noah and becoming sinister instead of emotional. I do have a plan, Allen Walker. Your promotion to General serves this plan well,"_

"_Oh, really?" Allen smirked sarcastically as he rested his cheek on his fist. "My promotion to General, as if all that is wrong with me has been forgiven by the Order… Honestly, Tyki. I cannot use my General status to sway anything in the Order. No research, not training apprentice exorcists… The only thing I might be able to do, and with a lot of surveillance I might add, is carry innocence in search of accommodators-"_

"_Exactly!" Tyki stated with a snap of his fingers. Allen blinked at Tyki in his shock. It took him a minute to process what had been said, and his eyes became wide._

"_Woah, wait a minute! Let's back up here…" Allen waved his hands in front of his face as he stared at Tyki incredulously. "I'm untrusted by the Black Order because a Noah is inside me, and I'm high up on the Earl's hit list… What makes you think anyone is going to trust me with a bunch of innocence? What is this even for?"_

_Tyki waved away Allen's concerns. "Even if they don't let you do the whole 'Roaming Nomad' thing that General's typically do, you will still have access to some innocence that I won't. And with my help, I can help you find the Accommodators,"_

"_You?" Allen asked skeptically. "How are you going to find them?"_

_Tyki tilted his head ever so slightly at Allen. "That's a silly question. I've always been able to spot an Accommodator from a mile away. They have this pure energy around them, like that girl you're protecting,"_

_Allen's eyes became wide as he stared onto Tyki. "Lady Cilicia doesn't have innocence… Hevlaska even checked her out-"_

_Tyki nodded his head and waved his hand to attract attention to himself. "Ah, yes. Another point I was going to bring up today… You had asked me to tell you all that I knew about Lady Cilicia, and at the time I had truly told you all that I had known. Yet more has become apparent to me,"_

_Allen's head began to ache. "What are you getting at?"_

_Tyki puzzled over his words as he tugged at his collar. "Well, it's kind of hard news… Cilicia Pena's father is a Broker,"_

_Allen shot from his seat. "What? Is that true? But-"_

_Tyki lowered his head, hiding his eyes from Allen's view. "Alicia Pena, your lady's older sister, was traded to the Earl to get out of dept. She's an Akuma now, being that she was tricked into calling back her mother's soul," Allen was pale, his eyes wide with extreme shock. He shakily slid back to his seat, the weight of what was told to him settling in. It all made perfect sense. Lord Pena, debt, Cilicia's sister, all of it began to form inside Allen's head. There was one more thing that occurred to Allen at that moment._

"_What is he doing with Cilicia then? Please, tell me…" Allen pleaded, his demeanor completely broken. Tyki was astonished by Allen's reaction, and it was heart clenching to see him in such a way. He studied Allen's pleading eyes, almost feeling sick to his stomach. He nearly felt as if he were staring into the eyes of one of his old comrades. Tyki lowered his head, not at all pleased with what he was about to unfold._

"_Cilicia was a request of the Earl. As I said before, she was arranged to 'marry' me, in all good faith. I was to take her, kidnap her, and bring her to the Earl in chains… by his request. He called her 'perfect', as if he had some special plan for her. Then she ran away from me, using her knowledge of the town, and also my reluctance to chase, to elude me and find her way home. If it hadn't been for her older brother, Lord Pena would have handed her right back to me. He threatened the Lord that he would find the best to do away with the Demons. We had not wished to draw so much unwanted attention from the Order, but when they __**were**__ called, Lord Pena was ordered to 'sedate' her until the Black Order was done with their snooping. It was found out soon that sedating her was having no affect, and it was Road's plan to sneak in at night and make her sick, and then continue with such actions with the fake form of medication that I told you about before. We honestly had no idea that you would stay as long as you have, and Road's abrupt attack was also not as planned…" Allen sat back in his seat, completely speechless. The wickedness in Lord Pena's heart was about to make Allen physically sick. A man would give up his precious child, an honest gift from God, on __**request**__. Tyki cleared his throat, attracting Allen's attention away from his thoughts once again. "Cilicia is an accommodator, but her body is no longer pure enough to handle innocence stably. It will produce no readings, and will always have a rebound affect after use. Whether or not the Earl got her delivered in chains, he most certainly won the battle. He still wants her, though. As if he is determined to win the war,"_

"_He will most certainly not," Allen stood abruptly and walked towards the entrance of the church. Tyki fidgeted in his seat before standing up and calling after Allen. _

"_Wait!" Tyki called, causing Allen to stop momentarily. "I still have more to tell you! I thought you wanted to know the plan!"_

"_Tell me later, Tyki," Allen snapped as he opened the door. Before he stepped outside, he hesitated noticeably. Tyki saw that there was still something that bothered him. He turned on his heel to face Tyki at that moment. "Do you regret it… I mean…"_

_Tyki's eyebrows furrowed as he gazed at Allen. When he thought he understood, he nodded his head. "I actually feel terrible about Lady Cilicia… Even with the unstable healing innocence, she will be able to sustain her life, but it has been drastically shortened," Tyki lowered his head. An air of despair washed over him at that moment. "Why do I have to be part of such despicable..?"_

_Allen stared into nothing, his mind completely blank. Something then caught his eye, and he turned to his reflection to see something he had never saw in it before. Staring him in the face was a frown, and after a moment it suddenly seemed to turn angry. At that moment Allen turned back to Tyki, meeting him eye to eye when he spoke. "Keep in touch, Tyki. I look forward to working with you," _

_Tyki stared with wide eyes, his heart pounding in his chest. Allen disappeared, but Tyki would smile anyway. He sat down with a sigh as he flicked the hat on his head. With those simple words, Tyki knew all would be well._

_**/O\**_

_**Alicia**_

A serpent like creature whipped past the raising moon. Its form was a sleek black, its scales glimmering in the light received from the moon. His long head held eyes that lacked color. His mouth filled with teeth stained a red shade. His wings stretched across the sky, bat like, for his long claws were found on the tip of his wings. His hind legs were massive; with equally massive claws that were so sharp they set off their own gleam in the moonlight. His tail was long and quick, and to my astonishment, father was holding on quite nicely.

I stood in the middle of the sky, the wind obeying my thoughts as it drifted past my fingers. The dragon began to turn at the edge of the tree line, its hind legs kicking the leaves as it turned to fly directly at me. Tobi wiggled out of my collar, hovering next to my cheek as the winged creature arched his back and shot in my direction. I grinned to Tobi at that moment, blinking innocently as I asked. "Are you ready?" Tobi nodded his form. I slid one foot behind me to brace myself, my arms up in the ready position. The Dragon's tail whipped upwards, and at that moment my father made eye contact with me. His eyes grew wide as he called my name. There was no time for worries on my part. Just a moment later I felt my body tense. "Now!"

Tobi flashed his light in the eyes of the Dragon Akuma. With loss of composure added with confusion, the creature swerved to my right. In a split second I grabbed onto his spiked neck and held on for dear life. This is where I heard my father's voice again. "Are you crazy?" I locked my legs around the dragon's neck, careful to miss the sharp appendages sticking out of the dragons form, and turned my body to face the end of the Dragon. With a bright smile across my face, I spoke to him.

"I get that from you!" The grin I saw across my father's lips was enough to satisfy me. This was good, too, because the dragon took a straight dip towards the ground, and I had to hold with all my might. We dove right between Reynaldo and Link, both who thought it was a bright idea to throw something shiny our way. The first bomb barely missed me, the second hit father, but his cloak protected him from the blast. That was when he started to crawl up the tail and gain better hold of the creature.

When we flew higher into the sky I saw that we passed Timcanpy, who was fluttering his wings in the strangest way. I heard my father yell "On it!" although I had no idea what he was talking about. I held up my arm as the wind around me drew in closer. With my Gale Blade at the ready, I didn't hesitate to bring it down to the Dragon's neck. The Dragon let out a painful screech, faltering in his flight path and sending us straight for the tree's. My eyes were wide as I gazed at the dragon's neck. His neck was heavily protected by a layer of scales. I hadn't even left a mark, so why was he spiraling for the trees as if I had wounded him? Then it hit me. He was going to knock us off. I glared at the dragon beneath me and with a thrust of my hands I attempted to throw us in the opposite direction.

I felt a heavy whiplash as my face slammed against the dragon's neck. My neck and the side of my face stung as I attempted to straighten my form. I had managed to at least slow the dragon down. An attempted impact with the trees at this speed would be as simple as jumping off casually before impact, and it seemed the Dragon was aware. He changed our direction, once again flying low to the ground next to my Uncle and the strange man. They seemed to be at the ready for something, but at that moment nothing could prepare them for what came next. The Akuma opened his mouth, and a dark energy-like ball swept out in front of them before forming what appeared to be a smog. "A miasma!" Father shrieked from just behind me. I looked to him in shock before looking ahead of me again. With fear for the lives below me in mind, I thrust my arms forward to make a wall of wind that divided the poison and the people before it. I was struggling to contain it, so that its mass wouldn't seep around the edges and contaminate the air. The Dragon Akuma once again growled into the sky as he turned his form upside-down, causing my concentration to falter and my wall to falter.

I held on to the spokes of his neck, clenching my legs tighter around its massive form. This Akuma was too strong and too clever to fall for any cheap tricks. I was unaware of how to fight a creature so far out of my league. So I held on with all my will until we were once again leveled out. I loosened my grip for a moment to collect myself, unaware that it would be my downfall. The Dragon made a sudden jerk with his body, and I was tossed off as if I were a mere bug. The speed that the dragon disappeared from under my floating body left me in distress. I saw father's form pass by me in a flash, his hand just barely missing mine as he speed past. I struggled to maintain my composer, but it didn't stop me from crying out. "Stop!" I shrieked as I reached out in front of me. The dragon took a sharp turn, where I saw a gleam of his eye as he swooped to fly low to the ground once again.

I regained my composure and felt my feet touch a solid base, although it was in the middle of the sky. I scanned the ground below to see Reynaldo running away from the poisonous smog. I nodded to myself as I thrust my arm aside in panic. An abrupt wind flew through my hair, drifting away the smog as simply as that. I sighed at myself; was I trying too hard? I had killed Akuma before, but I felt powerless against this dragon-thing. I turned myself around again to search for the winged Akuma when it crashed into my form. I gasped as I instinctively clung to its long snout, shrieking as it growled into my ear. "Alicia!" My father cried as his claws sliced against the tough scales of the Akuma's neck. The Dragon roared, giving me the perfect view of those shining red teeth that were dangerously close to my face. Speaking of such, the next attack my father threw caused the teeth to clench down on my arm. I bit my tongue, daring myself not to scream. Father's attacks where actually wounding the Dragon, and I would be damned if he ceased in his attacks. Tobi crawled down my jacket and wrapped his tail around my arm and squeezed with all his might, possibly to stop the blood that came gushing from my arm. I knew the wound could heal eventually, but loss of blood would be an issue. And what If I lost this arm? I decided, just for that moment, that I didn't care. An arm was better than my life. '_Go ahead and take this arm,'_ my mind screamed as I clung to the Dragon, staring him straight in his black eyes with a snarl upon my face. '_Take my arm, but don't you dare hurt any of these people!_'

The Dragon closed his eyes, and his hold on my arm released. I nearly would have slid off if the Akuma didn't raise his head, causing me to balance perfectly on the bridge of his nose. I found myself startled, unsure of what this Akuma's next plan was, when suddenly his eyes opened and I was tossed across the sky. The act was startling, but to my relief not as life threatening. I didn't feel as if I flew very far before I was caught, and gazed above me in wonder as I stared upon a smooth face. I blinked as I looked above me. "Lenalee?" The beautiful woman smiled down to me at that very moment. I looked down to see crimson colored boots reaching up her thighs, with wings on the heels that seemed to be why she was in the sky with me. This was her innocence, and the infinite potential that was behind it buzzed in my mind. She was truly remarkable. Yet the graceful smile that adorned her lips disappeared a split second later as she faced ahead of us. The Akuma changed course and charged directly towards us. I found my footing in the sky again, and I made to raise my arms, only to gasp and grab my right arm in pain. I cursed myself at that moment. If only I were more experienced, this wouldn't have happened. I was nowhere near the Level of Father or Lenalee. How could I let myself fall into such a situation: let myself be placed into danger and get hurt? I felt as if I were only a nuisance, that is, until Lenalee took a protective stance in front of me.

Her action turned my entire world upside-down. She stood in front of me, her arms outstretched and her stance firm, as if she were making the ultimate sacrifice. Everything began to move so fast. Father jumped off of the Dragon's back, Reynaldo and Link were running below us- with blades at the ready and bombs in their grasp- Timcanpy flew by my side before suddenly growing ten times his size before shooting past us and colliding head first with the Dragon. At impact, father launched the Clown belt, restricting one of the wings capabilities. Reynaldo and Link bombarded the other side with Frag-bombs, which shredded the wing instantly. The Dragon screeched in pain and annoyance as he buckled inward on himself, spiraling towards us in route to collision. And Lenalee stood all the same, her eyes on fire as the massive Akuma closed in. Her boots began to radiate a brilliant glow as a growl escaped her lips. "Stay. Away. From. My. Daughter!" I gasped as Lenalee swung around, landing her swift kick against the head of the Akuma and sending it straight towards the ground.

I don't know how, but the next moment I found myself standing on the ground, on looking the ravaged cite of the crash. The ground was wrecked, and the Akuma who lay unmoving seemed shriveled into a ball. Had this fight just happened? I had a hard time believing that it did. Yet, Lenalee was next to me, brushing my hair out of my face as she studied my eyes. "Are you okay, sweetheart?" She asked as she rubbed against my sore cheek. I bit my lip at that moment, but it hurt, so I stopped. My eyes closed before I lowered my head to gaze at my arm. The jacket was trashed, completely torn open by the Akuma's sharp teeth, and behind the torn fabric one could easily see the gash in my arm. Despite Tobi's efforts, blood still dripped down my arm, and it was that moment that reality sunk in on me. All of that really happened. Everyone had somehow coordinated an attack on the Akuma without actually speaking to each other. Timcanpy even knew what he had to do without a single command being told. But not only that; but I really told Lenalee about my father, and Lenalee really called me her daughter. I was feeling woozy after it all settled in, and was glad Lenalee was there to catch me as I fell forward. She held me in her arms gently, carefully laying me on the ground as Reynaldo and Link ran towards my side. "There, there, child," Lenalee cooed. "You're going to be fine,"

I was surprised to see Link not even hesitate to rip off his sleeve, because that was a very nice coat he was wearing. He ripped off my shredded sleeve to blink in surprise at my brave little Golem squeezing my arm with all his might. Link stifled a small chuckle as he relieved Tobi of duty, and skillfully wrapped up my arm. "This will hold you 'til you see a doctor," He stated as he tied and tucked the sleeve. I smiled up faintly to the man at that moment.

"Thank you," I whispered. My grateful statement seemed to catch him off guard. He gazed at me sternly, his eyes questioning my very being. He didn't question very long before a smile forced its way across his face, and he begrudgingly accepted it. He placed his hand over mine, his dark eyes meeting mine with a hint of submission, as if he had given up a fight. He seemed happy about it.

"Niece…" I heard Reynaldo call, and I looked up slightly to see him kneeling next to Lenalee, leaning over me with hovering hands. "Why'd you go off and do that, huh? You just trying to give your old uncle a heart attack-?"

"Old?" I playfully shrieked. "You're not old, Uncle Rey. I was trying to give my young Uncle a heart attack!" Reynaldo's lip began to quiver, and I blinked in shock as I raised my good hand and shook it in front of me. "I was only kidding! I didn't want to give you a heart attack, I promise!" My words made Reynaldo smile slightly. He rubbed his sleeve against his eyes and nodded.

"Don't mind Alicia, Reynaldo. She's got that do-good blood in her. We couldn't stop her from trying to help, even if it'd killed us," Link turned around at the sound of my father's voice, and at that moment I saw father walking towards us. I smiled as he stood next to the kneeling Link, who still continued to stare at him with a watchful glare. Father leaned over me, placing his hands on his knees. "Why didn't you scream?" His sudden question made me flinch, and I looked off to the side in a vain attempt of hoping he wouldn't prod. "I would've helped you out of there, but you just clenched your teeth and held on," Father gave me a stern look. "Just who were you trying to impress? You could've lost your arm!"

"I, uh-" I didn't want to answer him at that moment, even though I knew exactly why. I was a proud person, I suppose. Too proud to admit when I've done something stupid. I looked up to see something that nearly killed me: Disappointment. I just wanted to die. I lowered my head in shame. "I'm sorry. I knew your attacks were working, so I didn't want to distract you,"

I peeked up again to see father blinking at me with sympathetic eyes. "Really, that's all?" Father laughed as he straightened himself. "Alicia, I'm not the only one here. Look around you," Father motioned to the three who were kneeled next to me, and I gazed at our unlikely group with wondrous eyes. "We all work together as a team. None of us could have defeated that Akuma on our own," Father tilted his head as he crossed his arms. "I know you have been traveling on your own, and have likely fought Akuma solo, but that's not how exorcists work. Besides," Father winked at me. "Just because you don't cry, doesn't mean that we won't notice,"

"We are not a team," Link muttered, turning away from my form slightly. His eyes widened and he turned fully towards my father. "Wait, we just… That was Leverrier!"

A growl sounded around us, and with wide eyes we turned to see the Dragon lift his tattered wing and grasped the ground beside his head in an attempt to lift his form. Father clenched his fist as the Dragon's head rose and stared upon our group, a steamy breath shooting out of his nose as he coolly stared upon us.

'_It hurts,'_ a small, almost feminine whisper brushed past my ear. I gasped as I cupped my ear with my hand, although the cool voice still tingled in my head.

Father huffed as his hand grabbed his wrist. "Yes. That's Leverrier. Your boss is an Akuma in charge of the Black Order… He's weak; I'll take care of him,"

The Dragon groaned into the air once again. _'It really hurts…' _I heard as father made his way towards the creature. My lips formed a puzzled expression, and I looked to everyone else to see if they heard the voice as I did.

"Be careful, Allen," Reynaldo spoke as Father pulled a sword from his arm and continued to walk towards the injured Akuma. I stared upon the massive form, looking across the glossy black eyes of the Dragon.

'_It really hurts a lot… doesn't it?_' My eyes widened as the Dragon's head tilted slightly at that moment. I was breathless as the Dragon's eyes slowly began to close. Another pain filled groan reached my ears. '_It shouldn't have happened that way,_' Father moved closer still, and the Dragon lowered its head to the ground, as if accepting his fate. Father hesitated for a moment after the Dragon's action, but as he raised his sword in the air, I wasn't prepared for the next whisper I heard as my father's sword came down.

'_I deserve to die,_'

"Stop!" I cried as I jumped from Lenalee's lap, painfully extending my right arm out of habit as I reached out to father. My cry did not stop his swing, and with tears in my eyes I pushed my arm towards the left, causing a strong gust of wind that made the swing falter and miss the Dragon's head entirely.

"Alicia!" Lenalee cried as she reached out to me, but I ran forward with adrenaline pumping through my veins. I believe it was the adrenaline rush that caused the scope to appear in front of my eyes, and it also led me to deceiver the clouded images of terror and agony, to look past the deranged form the soul had taken to see it as it truly was. Through my scope I saw a child, cuddled into the fetal position, with tears falling down his face. He wore rags, and his body was too thin. He was truly a sad soul. It made sense to me then; it wasn't a woman's voice that I heard, it was a child's. _And no child should ever wish death upon himself._ With my heart pounding sporadically, I leaped in front of my father and held out my arms.

"Don't touch him!" I shrieked as father pulled his sword from the ground. He looked to me with wide eyes, possibly unsure of how to react to me. From behind him, Link sprung to his feet.

"What are you do-?" he cried incredulously, but stopped short once his eyes met mine. I knew then that he saw the apparatus on my face, and it left him speechless. Lenalee stood beside him, her eyes wide and her hands covering her mouth in an inexpressible way. Reynaldo was frozen in shock on the ground, and stared on with complete awe. Yet, I think the one who was shocked the most was my father. He stared upon me with trembling eyes, and dropped his sword on the ground. I held my breath as I saw him reach up to touch his left cheek. Tears filled his eyes, and he mouthed the word 'Why' over, and over, and over. I bit back my tears. I had not wanted it to be this way, but it had to come out at some point. I had more important things to worry about.

"Just… just wait a moment!" I pleaded before forcing myself to turn away. I saw the Dragon's head lift and gaze at me. He was truly enormous, for his head was bigger than I was, and I had to swallow the lump in my throat as I looked into his eyes. The black eyes that I had thought before were so blank were now filled with such wonder. Above him, the sobbing child peeked startled eyes out to me, and it made my heart clench. I placed my left hand on my right arm at that moment. "It does hurt," I stated loudly, feeling as if I needed to be heard by both the Dragon and the child. "At least, it did," I said before I pulled the sleeve off my arm. I raised the arm to reveal small indents in my flesh; the only reminder that there was ever an injury. And even as I showed it, it seemed to be disappearing in front of our very eyes. The boy I saw above us seemed to crawl closer in wonder, as the Dragon leaned forward slightly to get a better look. I could practically feel Father and the others tense at that moment, but I revealed no signs of concern. In fact, I smiled up to the Dragon at that moment. "So I don't ever want to hear you say such a thing again, do you understand me?"

The Dragon leaned back as the boy in my vision jumped in shock. '_But… no! You do not understand!_' the boy cried, and I felt the emotion of his cry nearly take over me as the boy shook his head and the Dragon let out a low growl. '_How could I do such a thing to you? And you tell me that I have done nothing wrong… you should not be so forgiving to me!_'

I felt father's hand on my shoulder at that moment. "Alicia… What's going on?" I shook my head before laying a hand on Fathers. I smiled up to him from behind my scope before turning back to the Dragon.

"Then why do you want my forgiveness, if you do not believe you deserve it?"

I don't know what it was about that phrase that made Father back away from me, but just the fact that he did shot fear into my bones. I turned to him, looking into his eyes in bewilderment only to see his eyes filled with panic. Never before had I been so incased in fear as I was at that moment. I opened my mouth, to beckon to father to speak to me about his actions, when the words of the little boy reached my ear.

'_Because you're Lilith,_' I shot around to look at the boy, who stared at me with a mixture of fear and compassion. '_Because you are our mother,_'

I blinked at the boy, my eyes wide with confusion. "What do you mean?" I asked, my voice hesitant. Father looked to the Dragon, his eyes shaking.

"What is it saying to you…?" he muttered as he took another step back. Lenalee ran towards me, but as she attempted to run past Father he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. She gasped, but did not struggle as he held Lenalee away from me. I turned to them, my face twisted as my head tried to wrap around what was told to me. Before I spoke to Father, I heard the child's voice again.

'_We try to do as we are told. It is easier for the young to do because they are just babies, but once we grow up and gain a conscience, we began to doubt. The Millennium Earl says if we don't do as we are told, we will make mommy sad…_' I gazed up to the boy as tears fell from his eyes again. '_We don't want to make you sad. So we keep killing. And when you fought us, it hurts us more, although at first we didn't know why. And now I know. But I am cursed because I did not see it sooner!' _The boy was crying in my vision. He lunged forward in a passion, and the dragon clawed the ground in front of me, leaning in his large skull_. 'The Earl says we have to fight until you wake up, but we don't want to hurt you!'_ The boy wiped his arm against his face as he continued. '_We just want you back!_'

I tried to process what I was told. Was this boy talking about _all_ the Akuma? I shook my head, accidentally dismissing the scope from my eyes. I looked upon the Dragon, my heart clenching as he groaned and lowered his head. Father took a shaky step forward, Lenalee still in his grasp. "What did it say to you?" his voice was demanding, and I flinched upon hearing it. I turned to father steadily, trying to hide how much my heart ached at that moment. Instead, I smiled up to him, trying to erase any negative feelings, even though I felt that it did not reach my eyes.

"He's just a little kid, father," I stated simply, not missing how big Lenalee's eyes grew, as if hearing me acknowledge him as such for the first time sealed any doubt from her mind. "He's frightened is all that it is. And he's very sorry for what he did to me. He wanted my forgiveness,"

I could tell that father didn't believe me, but he nodded his head. It was then that I heard Link's voice reach out to me. "Then you shall be the one to forgive him," Lenalee looked to Link at that moment as he walked past her and stopped in front of me. I believe she knew what he was going to say, and although she was about to protest, he continued. "You shall do as your _father_ would. You will be the one who'll bring salvation to his soul,"

I could hear the acid in his voice when he addressed my father as such. I wanted to demand an explanation for his hatred for my father, but instead I gazed to the Dragon again, seeing its face dug into the mud and eyes filled with the deepest sadness. I walked towards him, hearing Lenalee stuttering to make words of protest. I stopped to hear her words, but as I gazed at her she wouldn't meet my eyes. Father's grip on her never faltered, and his eyes snapped closed when I tried to look into them. So I continued to move closer to the Dragon's head, finding that his pain -both emotional and physical- was wearing down my body. I could feel what the Dragon felt, and I could still hear the faint crying from the little boy. Then I stopped. I stood before the Dragon, not even attempting to hide the fact that I was questioning whether or not to do it. At that point, I didn't care.

What exactly was Link trying to prove by making me kill this creature? That one should not pity the enemy, and strike it down when it is at its weakest? I couldn't disagree more. This poor creature, that poor child, had shed a new light on Akuma for me. There was so much more I wanted to learn, so much more this Akuma could tell me, and something deep in my heart was crying. I brought my hand to my chest and clenched it. '_You are our mother,_' a phrase that somehow woke up another part of me. And I turned to my father with the brightest smile I could muster, although he did not see it. "You know what, you're right. Just because you can't hear him cry, doesn't mean that _**I**_ won't notice," Father's eyes snapped open as I turned to the Akuma, kneeling and draping my arms around his muzzle. The Dragon Akuma flinched and stared upon me with awe as I rubbed his nose and smiled to his eyes. "And I'll always be here to do something about it," I said as I kissed his nose. From nowhere, I was found shocked as my chest glowed brighter and a white light shone in the palms of my hands.

The scales of the dragon below me began to reflect the same light as my hands. A blinding pulse shot across his head and down the arch of his back, and the shockwave seemed to shatter the scales across his body. My eyes grew wide as the dragon stood back on his hind legs, roaring with intense agony as he shed his dark scales. Yet, I could tell he wasn't in pain. As he stretched his large wings out behind him, the shattered pieces of scales began to shake at impossible speeds. The white light from my hand radiated from my chest, and the shaking scales pulsed white before reattaching to the winged beast.

I became blinded for a moment as the sudden exposure to light made my pupils shrink. Once my eyes adjusted, I saw before me the once midnight black dragon, completely transformed into a being of perpetual innocence. I don't know what drew me to such a conclusion, maybe it was because of the contrasting shade of white that suited him so well, that I believed that this creature was beyond what I could understand. I just stood there in awe, staring upon the dragon of pure white, wondering how this had happened. And then he answered me.

"_I have been saved,"_

I looked around in confusion for a moment, for I heard his voice so clearly now that I wondered if the others heard. It seemed they had heard nothing, for they were still in shock from his transformation. I turned back to the Dragon with a shaky voice. "What do you mean?"

I jumped as I saw the young boy's form walk away from the dragon's stomach. I reached up to my cheek in wonder, for the scope from in front of my eye was not found. The boy stood in front of me, then gracefully took a knee. _"It is by your loving hand that my sins have been repaid,"_ My heart beat quickened as I looked at the young boy. His dark hair was now neatly combed, his clothes of an acceptable merit. The longer I stared at him, the more familiar he became. I blinked hard, trying to stop tears that I just didn't understand. I cleared my throat before I spoke.

"How?" I asked, my voice shaking. The boy chuckled below me.

"_With your innocence,"_

My innocence. I felt I had no power over this strange weapon against Akuma, and yet it was capable of amazing things. It was by my hand alone that I had saved him, and at the same time I felt this was completely besides me. As if I were merely a vessel of something mesemerizing. Although all of this ran through my mind a million miles per minute, there was something important that I had to ask. Something that felt so important to me.

"What was your sin?" The boy finally raised his head, and I was greeted with the most beautiful violet eyes. My heart immediately sank upon their sight. This boy couldn't have been much older than me. His violet eyes were placed on a very serene face, kindness radiated from his cheeks. _'How?'_ I asked myself. A face familiar, yet I couldn't put my finger on it. The boy blinked those beautiful violet eyes in confusion as tears streamed down my face.

"_Well…"_ He whispered, a small smile appearing across his face. _"The congenital Sin of birth,"_ I bit my lip as the tears increased. The boy stood at that moment, slowly backing away from me with a smile on his face. _"We can sense her return," The boy said, "And we may finally be relieved from the burden of death that_ _the Earl bound to us_," The boys formed morphed into the Dragon's belly, and I brushed the tears away from my eyes. The Akuma had been threatened to follow orders, because they thought that was what their mother wanted. The Earl had never given them the chance to think for themselves. I didn't realize until I stared up to the shining dragon before me that these creature were just beings of circumstance, it was never really their fault. Were they really so different from Timcanpy, or my Tobimaru? Rage built up in my heart at that moment. I stomped my foot as I called out to the dragon.

"You don't have to listen to the Earl!" I cried at that gorgeous dragon as he lifted his shining wings. "If you don't want to kill humans, than you don't have to! You've never had to! Even with his threats… You've were born with free will, and you've always had the choice!"

I didn't have to say anymore. With one flap of those wings the gigantic creature flew off at a surprising speed. He flew across the sky and passed the moon, letting out a fantastic roar before seeming to blend in to the light of the moon and disappear altogether. I smiled to the sky, and for a moment, I felt at peace. If only for a moment.

"What was that?" My father shrieked as he grabbed my shoulder and turned me around. He stood in front of me patting down my form, his eyes full of fright. I understood that I had frightened him, but right now wasn't really the time for him to have a Fatherly-breakdown, so I didn't hesitate to push him away. The action startled him, and I could already see the guilt settling in on him as if he had done something terribly wrong or failed as a Father. I shook my head lightly at my sentimental father.

"I-" what was I supposed to tell him? That I upgraded him? That I saved him from his sins? Everything seemed so complicated to my young mind. Then the image of the boy's soul appeared in my mind as I stared at my father's eyes. My heart clenched slightly, and with a heavy feeling across my shoulders I placed my hand on my father's cheek. As I stared into his eyes, I knew what I wanted to say. "I brought salvation to his soul,"

Father looked taken aback by my words, and I knew that for a moment he didn't believe them. He opened his mouth to speak, although it wasn't his voice that I heard. "What did that Akuma really say to you? Why did it change like that? It's still _alive_!" I saw Link, his eyes like daggers piercing into me. And I was tired of hearing his accusing voice. I turned to him fully as I spoke, masking the emotion from my face.

"I have told you no lie, he wanted my forgiveness. He was sad that he hurt me, and in that moment I saw what could clearly be seen as a strategic opening, Mr. Link," Link faltered at my words, and I had to stifle a grin. Why was it that this man was too easy to read? "What Akuma feels remorse? I saw an opening, and what was revealed to me was something I'll never forget," I turned my attention back to my father, who's feature had morphed into that of a truly intrigued and curious man. With one hand across his chest touching his elbow and the other holding his chin in a thoughtful way, he listened to my words intently. "The Akuma are acting against their will," Father's eyes grew wide, and they would not hide his eagerness to hear more. "The Millennium Earl has convinced them to do his bidding, and as this Akuma was wounded, and at a higher level of consciousness than lower levels, he was exposed to be released from the false bond that was made to the Earl," I looked up to the shinning moon, smiling to myself as I did so. "And now… I believe he is going to spread the word,"

"Okay, yeah, makes sense," I heard Reynaldo, who actually seemed completely lost, but surprisingly convincing when he spoke. He reached behind his head and scratched his neck. "Just what level was that Akuma?" Reynaldo asked as he looked worriedly towards the sky, as if he expected the fully healed Akuma to return. I took a moment to think about the question, but one fact about that Akuma came to mind. Regretfully, I felt there was nothing I could do to relieve their shock.

"He is above any level, I believe,"

"What?" Lenalee shrieked as she too started to look up to the sky. I gave a wry smile to her.

"Well, the thing is… After a certain level, they can't really gain any more power. So they level in wisdom and consciousness, so they become less of a puppet," I blinked at my words. I slowly looked towards the ground as I rubbed my head. "I… I feel like it was a failsafe in case someone like the Earl got ahold of them. That's why you usually only see them at level four," I saw the look in my father's eye at that moment. It was a look of concern, as if he was beginning to fear for my safety. I didn't feel threatened, nor did I feel abnormal, but I could tell that something was definitely going on with me. I thought I was clueless, but why could I feel this knowledge flowing through me, as if…

"Likely story," Link snapped, causing me to turn to him with a raised eyebrow. "We'll just have to see the validity of that once we get back to Headquarters,"

"What was that?" Father asked as he, too, turned to look at Link.

Link cleared his throat before he continued. "The actions that have taken place beforehand do not excuse the facts. I am taking Allen Walker, Reynaldo Pena, and Alicia… Walker... back to HQ, for proper trail and-"

"Alicia has nothing to do with that!" Lenalee shrieked as she stood in front of Link. I blinked at the rage I saw in her eyes at that moment, for I was not aware that she was capable of such. Link fumbled backwards and stuttered.

"I-I, It's…. It's not like Allen's gonna let her out of his sight, so we have to take her anyway!" Link retorted weakly, without meeting her eyes. "Besides, she just purposely let an Akuma get away! Theory or not it can be trailed as-"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Lenalee huffed as she crossed her arms. "All I saw was that the Akuma got away before she was able to take it out," Reynaldo snorted a quick laugh before controlling himself, but I on the other hand couldn't quite hide the bright smile that appeared on my face as Link gaped at Lenalee in pure shock. She was completely on point; for a he said/she said would never play well in his favor. I saw father raise his hand to his chin, a smirk on his face and his eyes narrowed in the slightest as he admired Lenalee.

Link shook his head in annoyance. "It doesn't matter, she's coming with us! Whether I like it or not, she's an exorcist! And her _father_ will be delivered to the Order in restraints, so will _Pena_, and I will not have another word on it!"

I glared at Link, unappreciative for his slurring of my family. I was thinking of something clever to throw his way when my father chuckled. I gazed over my shoulder in curiosity to see a plain grin across his face. "Okay, we'll go with you,"

_**/O\**_

Road sat on her knees, staring at the floor in front of her in silence. The fire before her shared no heat, no soothing feeling of ease. And how could it? All that she believed to be true was false; all she had hoped and dreamed was shattered. Road only wanted time to move backwards. She was so infatuated with the past, she refused to even let her body age as time flew by. Stuck dreaming in the past as she was, she was left in continuous regret of what could have been. The family that she had loved, that was even beginning to grow, fell apart right in front of her eyes. Road opened her eyes lightly, whimpering as she stretched her arm out to the fire. "Li…Lilly," She whispered the name as her vision was once again clouded by tears. "Come back, Child… please don't leave…"

"What has gotten into you, my dear Road?" The familiar voice caused Road to gaze up. She saw a foggy image of a round man that was instantly distinguishable as the Millennium Earl. Road lifted her form, wiping her eyes on her sleeves before she addressed the Earl.

"Lord Millennium," Road whimpered as she finally saw him without the cloudiness of her tears. "I'm sorry, but I've failed you. I've failed in every way possible…" Road continued to wipe away her tears, adamant in thinking that she should not appear in such a way to him. The Earl then began to kneel to Road, and in his movements his form began to morph until he was kneeling next to the sobering girl in a humanoid form. The Millennium Earl ran his hand across Road's cheek, receiving her attention in the process.

"There, there, my sweet. Tell me what has happened," To see The Millennium Earl in this form had become a rarity over the years, but to Road's eyes it was the greatest sight. She adored seeing him this way, for it reminded her of the past that she so longed for. Road took a deep breath to muster up the courage to speak.

"I'm sorry, Lord Millennium. I had confronted The Gift Bearer as instructed but…" Road's voice trailed off, disappearing into the room of which the only sounds came from the crackling fire. The Earl saw her misery in her eyes, and nodded in understanding.

"I understand, Road. It must have been a hard confrontation. I know as well as any just how much she meant to us-"

"It's not that, Lord Millennium," Road admitted as she looked back into his eyes. "I didn't kill her. I-I couldn't…"

The Earl immediately drew back his hand. "I understand that she is a surprisingly gifted child. But no matter how many times it takes, we will-"

"Allen was with her," Road breathed the statement as if she herself couldn't believe it. The Earl eyed her at that moment, his stare seeming to darken even as she continued. "He was there, protecting her from me. I tried to get him away from her, but then I foolishly got distracted… I let him get away with her… I let her fall into the exact hands that we had feared-!"

"Hush now, Road," The Earl seemed to become detached as he stood and walked away from her. Road knew his mind was processing the information, tactfully going through every scenario that could be taking place. She also knew that his concern for her was long gone, but there was nothing that could help that. "She's in his hands, but that does not incline to failure. With any luck, he has no idea about the power that she holds-"

"My Lord Millennium, she is Allen's daughter," The Earl stopped before the fireplace, staring into the flames with eyes that startled Road. Never before had she seen them so wide with fear, and it made her heart clench with pain. She looked away from the Earl, her heart's pace quickening with fear as she continued. "I… wish that I could tell you that I got it mixed up. I wish so badly that I could say that I am mistaken, but it was my dear Sniffer who made the discovery," Road closed her eyes as a cynical smile appeared across her face. "I was about to kill her before I knew the truth, but once I did know… I just…"

The Earl heard every word spoken by Road, and yet he had not moved an inch. His gaze at the flame was so intent it was starting to burn a hole through his retina. It took a while for the Earl to gather himself properly in order to communicate with Road, and once he did it nearly took her by surprise. "Do you love Allen so much that you could not tolerate to take his child's life?"

Road gasped at the Earl's insinuation. "No, it's not that at all! My Lord, for all these years that we have been looking for her, he had been raising her! This is the first time that she has had a childhood, and it was in the hands of-" Road couldn't find the courage in herself to finish the statement. She clenched her fist and glared at the ground. "Imagine… Imaging the manipulation she's gone through…" It was almost almost surprising, really, as the Earl turned his disappointed gaze towards Road. Road felt like a knife stuck her chest; The Earl did not believe a single word she said. The gaze was a signal, for if she did not tell the truth, Adam might take her life at that very moment. She forcibly shook her head, the tears she had restrained flew from her eyes. "I can't kill Allen's own child!," Road broke at that moment, her body collapsed in on herself. "I saw it in his eyes; he loves her so much… I've become so weak for him, I just can't…" Road clinched her hands into her spikey hair, her teeth sinking into her lips as she curled into herself. "I can't kill his daughter. I can't do it. She's his daughter, and she's Lilly… I can't…!"

The Earl faced the fire again. He did not bother himself with looking at Roads breakdown, and the fire that shone in his eyes reflected his thoughts. After a moment of silence he turned away from the fire to give Road a small smile. "All is well. By now, The Black Order's HQ has taken heavy casualties. If our suspicions are correct, we should have knocked down many of the Orders little pawns. We shall overpower them, making any attempt for an all-out attack against us pure suicide. And When Tyki is done there, he will take out Lilly for-" The Earl would have continued speaking, if not for the pain that he witnessed in Road's creamy golden eyes as she rose her torso from the ground. His eyes narrowed dangerously, as if daring her to bring more bad news. "Road, is there something you are not telling me?"

Road nodded her head solemnly before looking away from the Earl. "It's about Tyki," Road knew without looking that the Earl's eyes had become bloodshot and filled with pure loathing. She couldn't stand to see him that way, so she spoke as quickly and simply as she could. "I already went to Tyki, to help kill the child, but… He stopped the attack prematurely to save an Exorcist. He said that he was done with us-" A growl could distinctly be heard throughout the household. The Earl slammed his fist against the fireplace, sending a shockwave across the room.

"How dare he?" The Earl shrieked, his grip on his cane tightening. "After all we did to forgive him… After all we've done to accept him into our lives again!" Road flinched, pushing herself away from the fuming man in front of her. She did not look upon his form, and stared at the ground as she waited for his heavy shallow breathing to cease. His throat was cleared before he grumbled to himself. "No matter. I'll send the twins to finish the job-"

"The Akuma won't go back there, my lord." Road said breathlessly, her eyes sore from tears. "Tyki ordered them never to return-"

"You're suggesting-"

"He's starting to figure it out. He's long since been gone,"

"Damn it!" The Earl yelled as he threw his cane onto the ground before Road. Road jumped to her feet in shock as she stared at the Earl. His hands gripped his head, his eyes widening as he began to scream. "How the hell did this happen? How the hell could this happen?"

Road ran out of the room as fast as her legs could take her. Not another Noah was in sight; probably ran after his first outburst took place. Road let another tear fall across her cheek as she allowed herself to physically run away instead of disappearing into her dream. Their plans were falling apart, and more so was their family, if it could be called such anymore. More than ever she wished for her niece. Her disappearance was the same as destroying the foundation of a home. It uprooted the stability of the family, causing hateful feelings to become known and peace to be broken once again.

And who would win in this fight for the family stability? The Black Order's sole purpose was to destroy a family that was already falling apart. They would succeed, too, if the Noah did not take it upon themselves to take the life of the one that all of them once held so close to their hearts.

**Did you enjoy it? I'll be happy to hear your opinions!**


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